Mycoremediation potential of Pleurotus species for heavy metals: a review

Abstract

Mycoremediation is one of the biotechniques that recruits fungi to remove toxic pollutants from environment in an efficient and economical manner. Mushrooms, macro-fungi, are among the nature’s most important mycoremediators. Pleurotus species (also called oyster mushrooms) are considered to be the most popular and widely cultivated varieties worldwide and this might be attributed to their low production cost and higher yields. Apart from their nutritive and therapeutic properties, Pleurotus species have high biosorption potential due to their extensive biomass, i.e. mycelial production. The genus has been reported to accumulate high levels of heavy metals. The current state-of-the art review mainly summarizes previous investigations carried out by researchers on different roles and mechanisms played by Pleurotus species on heavy metals mycoremediation.

I chose this paper because mycoremediation methods for removing contaminants have shown promise, at least in a similar fashion to phytoremediation. It is also because this article does a thorough job in explaining how and why they are able to absorb heavy metals from the soil and those contaminants are eventually accumulated into the fungi.