remove metals from polluted soil and detoxify the environmental chemicals. Heavy
metals uptake by fungi produces unusual metabolites, which might increase their
toxicity and stress level. Even though naturally present fungi can mineralize the
organic/inorganic pollutions in the soil and make this planet a safe habitat. This
chapter deals with the mycoremediation process in detail, types and the mechanisms
behind the remediation process.
Keywords Mycoremediation · Fungi · Soli · Mushroom
9.1 Introduction
The bioremediation process, whereby the fungi degrade organic/inorganic wastes, is
termed mycoremediation. The American mycologist Paul Stamets coined the term
‘mycoremediation’. Fungi are hyperaccumulators and fungal based remediation is
both cost and yield effective and can be used as an alternative approach in traditional
remediation of the polluted environment (Gadd 2001). In this chapter, we discuss the
types of fungal involved in the remediation process and their effectiveness against the
contamination. Diverse plant and microbes like bacterial and fungal species have been
tested against the metal and nonmetal inclusions (Pouli and Agathos 2011). The recent
global census highlights that fungi are holding the third position with 2% of the
biomass. Fungi can decompose the complex organic/inorganic materials and accumulate the heavy metal toxins from the polluted environment. Xenobiotic and aromatic
compounds are degrading by the filamentous fungi, particularly lignicolous white-rot
fungi. The lignocellulose materials are usually degraded by the fungi/bacteria and may
enrich soil fertility through the composting process. Most of the decontamination
processes were performed through wood-degrading basidiomycetes fungi. The fungi
constitute the order Agaricales and Polyporales were the ones mostly involved in the
mycoremediation. In addition to that, other lower fungi like Ascomycota, Zygomycota
and Oomycetes are fungi also involved in the degradation process (Fig. 9.1). Fungi
exhibit a high ability to immobilize toxic heavy metals by the formation of insoluble
metal oxalate. Heavy metals regulate extracellular ligninolytic and cellulolytic
enzymes at the level of transcription. White rot fungi can degrade and accumulate
the aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins, many synthetic dyes and pesticides from
the polluted ecosystem (Johannes and Majcherczyk 2000; Kanaly and Hur 2006).
During the degradation process, heavy metals interfere with both the enzyme activity
and fungal colonization. Even though extracellular enzymes break down the complex
polymers into monomers and finally get metabolized.
The resemblance of several environmental pollutions might be compared with
plant complex structures (Harvey and Thurston 2001). In fungi, the substrate
specified enzymes were encoded during their growth on different substrates but
remain vague (Chigu et al. 2010; Syed et al. 2010). D’Annibale et al. 2006 reported
that metagenomics and specific gene identification facilitate the analysis and fungi
intensely that decrease the soil toxicity. The most suitable solid-phase treatment by
ex-situ/substrate-specific mycoremediation was paramount. Identification of the
240
J. Raman et al.
metals uptake by fungi produces unusual metabolites, which might increase their
toxicity and stress level. Even though naturally present fungi can mineralize the
organic/inorganic pollutions in the soil and make this planet a safe habitat. This
chapter deals with the mycoremediation process in detail, types and the mechanisms
behind the remediation process.
Keywords Mycoremediation · Fungi · Soli · Mushroom
9.1 Introduction
The bioremediation process, whereby the fungi degrade organic/inorganic wastes, is
termed mycoremediation. The American mycologist Paul Stamets coined the term
‘mycoremediation’. Fungi are hyperaccumulators and fungal based remediation is
both cost and yield effective and can be used as an alternative approach in traditional
remediation of the polluted environment (Gadd 2001). In this chapter, we discuss the
types of fungal involved in the remediation process and their effectiveness against the
contamination. Diverse plant and microbes like bacterial and fungal species have been
tested against the metal and nonmetal inclusions (Pouli and Agathos 2011). The recent
global census highlights that fungi are holding the third position with 2% of the
biomass. Fungi can decompose the complex organic/inorganic materials and accumulate the heavy metal toxins from the polluted environment. Xenobiotic and aromatic
compounds are degrading by the filamentous fungi, particularly lignicolous white-rot
fungi. The lignocellulose materials are usually degraded by the fungi/bacteria and may
enrich soil fertility through the composting process. Most of the decontamination
processes were performed through wood-degrading basidiomycetes fungi. The fungi
constitute the order Agaricales and Polyporales were the ones mostly involved in the
mycoremediation. In addition to that, other lower fungi like Ascomycota, Zygomycota
and Oomycetes are fungi also involved in the degradation process (Fig. 9.1). Fungi
exhibit a high ability to immobilize toxic heavy metals by the formation of insoluble
metal oxalate. Heavy metals regulate extracellular ligninolytic and cellulolytic
enzymes at the level of transcription. White rot fungi can degrade and accumulate
the aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins, many synthetic dyes and pesticides from
the polluted ecosystem (Johannes and Majcherczyk 2000; Kanaly and Hur 2006).
During the degradation process, heavy metals interfere with both the enzyme activity
and fungal colonization. Even though extracellular enzymes break down the complex
polymers into monomers and finally get metabolized.
The resemblance of several environmental pollutions might be compared with
plant complex structures (Harvey and Thurston 2001). In fungi, the substrate
specified enzymes were encoded during their growth on different substrates but
remain vague (Chigu et al. 2010; Syed et al. 2010). D’Annibale et al. 2006 reported
that metagenomics and specific gene identification facilitate the analysis and fungi
intensely that decrease the soil toxicity. The most suitable solid-phase treatment by
ex-situ/substrate-specific mycoremediation was paramount. Identification of the
240
J. Raman et al.