Comparative Study of Bioremediation Potential of Heavy Metal-Resistance Fungi Isolated from Mechanic Sites

Shofoluwe-Ibikunle Olatomiwa^1* and Joseph Opeolu Ashaolu²

Abstract

Soil polluted with heavy metals (HM) have become common across the globe due to increase in geologic and anthropogenic activities. Mycoremediation is a widely accepted and an effective method of treating heavy metal polluted soils. In this study, the effect of heavy metals on HMR (heavy metal resistance) fungi and bioremediation potential of HMR fungi isolated from two different sites, and at three different soil depth of 0cm, 15cm and 30cm were compared. The soil samples were analyzed to determine the level of heavy metal contamination. Their resistance spectrum for the investigated elements was characterized by maximum tolerance concentrations (MTCs). The concentration of heavy metals used for MTC was determined based on the maximum concentration each fungal isolate could tolerate, the concentrations are 10mg/L – 15mg/L for Cu²⁺ and 4.0mg/L – 4.5m/L Zn²⁺ was quantified by atomic absorption spectrometry. On the basis of morphological characterization and biochemical analysis, the isolates belong to the genus Aspergillus spp., Penicillum spp., and Saccharomyes spp.  Penicillium spp. has the least MTC for Zn²⁺ while Saccharomyces spp. showed the highest MTC for Cu²⁺. Studies on bioremediation potential of the HMR fungi isolates in the soil samples revealed mixed fugal culture completely removed zinc and copper from MG soil samples while in OPP soil samples the zinc and copper concentration have a reduction effect of 82.59%. Based on the fungal isolate Aspergillus spp. reduced copper in MG samples with a reduction effect of 88.98%. Penicillium spp. reduced zinc with a removal effect of 87.5% in MG samples, while Saccharomyces spp. has a zinc remediation effect of 96.48% and Penicillium spp. has a copper removal effect of 88.26% in OPP. The findings show that these fungi species have great bioremediation potential for highly contaminated Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ soils.

Keywords

bioremediation; heavy metal resistance fungi; contaminated soil

Cite This Article

Ibikunle Olatomiwa, S., Ashaolu, J. O. (2023). Comparative Study of Bioremediation Potential of Heavy Metal-Resistance Fungi Isolated from Mechanic Sites. International Journal of Scientific Advances (IJSCIA), Volume 4| Issue 6: Nov-Dec 2023, Pages 793-803, URL: https://www.ijscia.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Volume4-Issue6-Nov-Dec-No.512-793-803.pdf

Volume 4 | Issue 6: Nov-Dec 2023