Chapter 22
Mycoremediation of Contaminated Soils
Tatiana Stella
Abstract This chapter deals with the importance of fungi in the decontamination of
polluted soils. Because of their physiological and biochemical features, both
ligninolytic and non-ligninolytic fungi can degrade and, to some extent, mineralize
a wide range of organic and xenobiotic pollutants such as oil-derived products,
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins and furans,
pesticides, herbicides, and nitroaromatic explosives, and pharmaceuticals. Thus,
fungi are excellent candidates for the design of effective bioremediation technologies. The potentialities of the fungal application in the remediation of soils for the
degradation of persistent chlorinated and non-chlorinated organic pollutants are
presented in this chapter through a number of studies at laboratory scale as well as
at pilot- and full-scale trials. Furthermore, the shortcomings that make this technology still unsuitable for large-scale trials are also analyzed in this chapter.
Keywords Ligninolytic fungi · White-rot fungi · Chlorinated hydrocarbons ·
Aromatic hydrocarbons · Biodegradation
22.1 Introduction
Intensive industrial processes and agricultural practices have led to either deliberate
or accidental release of potentially toxic chemicals into the environment over the last
decades. These compounds of either natural or anthropogenic origin cause a great
concern due to their adverse effects on ecosystems and human health. They can
affect any environmental compartments (air, water, and soil); they can be tightly
bound into or onto soil organic matter and clay particles, released into the atmosphere by volatilization, or they could leak into water. Furthermore, living organisms
need to face a big hurdle while attempting to degrade most of these compounds.
Consequently, they can accumulate in food chains and in the environment affecting
T. Stella (*)
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), University of Milano-Bicocca,
Milan, Italy
e-mail: tatiana.stella@unimib.it
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
J. Filip et al. (eds.), Advanced Nano-Bio Technologies for Water and Soil Treatment,
Applied Environmental Science and Engineering for a Sustainable Future,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29840-1_22
445
Mycoremediation of Contaminated Soils
Tatiana Stella
Abstract This chapter deals with the importance of fungi in the decontamination of
polluted soils. Because of their physiological and biochemical features, both
ligninolytic and non-ligninolytic fungi can degrade and, to some extent, mineralize
a wide range of organic and xenobiotic pollutants such as oil-derived products,
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins and furans,
pesticides, herbicides, and nitroaromatic explosives, and pharmaceuticals. Thus,
fungi are excellent candidates for the design of effective bioremediation technologies. The potentialities of the fungal application in the remediation of soils for the
degradation of persistent chlorinated and non-chlorinated organic pollutants are
presented in this chapter through a number of studies at laboratory scale as well as
at pilot- and full-scale trials. Furthermore, the shortcomings that make this technology still unsuitable for large-scale trials are also analyzed in this chapter.
Keywords Ligninolytic fungi · White-rot fungi · Chlorinated hydrocarbons ·
Aromatic hydrocarbons · Biodegradation
22.1 Introduction
Intensive industrial processes and agricultural practices have led to either deliberate
or accidental release of potentially toxic chemicals into the environment over the last
decades. These compounds of either natural or anthropogenic origin cause a great
concern due to their adverse effects on ecosystems and human health. They can
affect any environmental compartments (air, water, and soil); they can be tightly
bound into or onto soil organic matter and clay particles, released into the atmosphere by volatilization, or they could leak into water. Furthermore, living organisms
need to face a big hurdle while attempting to degrade most of these compounds.
Consequently, they can accumulate in food chains and in the environment affecting
T. Stella (*)
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences (DISAT), University of Milano-Bicocca,
Milan, Italy
e-mail: tatiana.stella@unimib.it
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
J. Filip et al. (eds.), Advanced Nano-Bio Technologies for Water and Soil Treatment,
Applied Environmental Science and Engineering for a Sustainable Future,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29840-1_22
445