Abstract
The species diversity and the structure of the opportunistic fungi complexes in the forest Albic Podzols under the impact of the Aluminum and Copper-Nickel Plants emissions, as well as in the Hortic Anthrosol contaminated by the oil products (diesel fuel, gas condensate, mazut) in the north-west region of Russia (the Kola Peninsula) have been investigated. The share of the opportunistic fungi increase up to 15% in the zones of the Aluminum and Copper-Nickel Plants emissions comparable to the background soil, and up to 20-25% in the soils contaminated by the oil products has been revealed. The majority of the fungi species belong to the following genera: Penicillium, Aspergillus, Mucor, Lecanicillium, Phoma and Cladosporium. The structure of the fungal complexes has changed in the polluted soil, that is, the species abundance and the frequency of the opportunistic fungi occurrence have increased. The strains of the fungi isolated from the contaminated soil reveal the potential pathogenicity in a greater degree, than the strains isolated from the clean soil. 55% of the total amount of fungi strains isolated from the soils contaminated by the Aluminum Plant emissions had the potential pathogenicity. The most dangerous for a human’s health were Amorphotheca resinae, Aspergillus fumigatus, A. niger, Paecilomyces variotii, Penicillium commune, P. purpurеogenum, Trichoderma viride isolated from the soils contaminated by the Aluminum Plant emissions; and P. aurantiogriseum, P. glabrum, P. commune, P. simplicissimum, Rhizopus nigricans isolated from the soils contaminated by the oil products. Those species revealed protease, phospholipase activity, as well as the growth ability at the temperature 37°C
Highlights
All through our lifetime, we are in constant contact with the fungi which are present everywhere in the human environment
The objects of our research are: 1) soil located in the area contaminated by the Kandalaksha Aluminum Plant; 2) soil located in the area contaminated by the «Severonickel» Copper- Nickel Plant; 3) soil polluted by oil products in field model experiment near Apatity; 4) unpolluted soil of the Kola Peninsula
62 species of fungi, which belong to the opportunistic ones, were identified in the polluted soils of the Kola Peninsula (Table 1)
Summary
We are in constant contact with the fungi which are present everywhere in the human environment. The main natural habitat of fungi is soil. They can grow on the surfaces of different man-made facilities, such as buildings, roads, etc. Special hazard for humans may be represented by the fungi belonging to the group of opportunistic ones. Opportunistic fungi of the BSL2 and BSL1 groups can be found much more frequently in the environments, as most of them utilize a wide range of substrates. The important environmental factors for the growth of opportunistic fungi of these groups are: the availability of organics, the favorable range of moisture, the temperature, and the pH value in their habitat. In case of skin injuries the agents may get in through wounds, often from soil
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