Exploration of Novel Integrated Mycoremediation for Mining-Influenced Waters

Fungal-based treatment systems offer a promising alternative for remediating mining-influenced waters. Two distinct fungal biotreatment mechanisms were investigated: biosorption using dead macrofungi and bioaccumulation via live microfungi. The specific fungi studied were Pleurotus ostreatus (macro), Trametes versicolor (macro), and Aspergillus niger (micro). Experimental results showed that pretreatment and grinding of fungal biomass significantly enhanced biosorptive metal uptake. In parallel, a novel sol-gel immobilization method was developed using tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS) to contain live fungal cells while preserving viability. The use of sol-gel enabled reproducible quantification of bioaccumulation under controlled conditions without the sol-gel contributing to metal removal. Individual testing of both pathways demonstrated high removal of copper, manganese, and zinc in batch systems. A continuous-flow bench-scale reactor was then constructed to integrate both mechanisms, validating their compatibility and synergism. The combined system achieved over 90% total metal removal within 48 hours. These results support the scalability and effectiveness of dual-pathway fungal remediation systems for metal-contaminated waters.