Fungi as versatile biocatalytic tool for decontamination of textile wastewater effluents

Authors: PUNDIR, ASHOK - Shoolini University; THAKUR, MOHINDRA - Shoolini University; PRAKASH, SURAJ - Shoolini University; KUMARI, NEERAJ - Shoolini University; SHARMA, NIHARIKA - Shoolini University; PARAMESWARI, ETTIYAGOUNDER - Shoolini University; He, Zhongqi; Nam, Sunghyun; THAKUR, MAMTA - Icar - Indian Institute Of Horticultural Research; PURI, SUNIL - Shoolini University; PURANIK, SHRINIKETAN - Icar - Indian Institute Of Horticultural Research; KUMAR, SUNIL - Icar - Indian Institute Of Horticultural Research; MADHU - Indian Agricultural Research Institute; KUMA, MANOJ - Central Institute For Cotton Research

Submitted to: Critical Reviews in Environmental Science Technology
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/30/2024
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The textile industry plays a crucial role in many economies worldwide. However, the textile industry also poses significant environmental challenges due to its usage of a high volume of water and extensive use of chemicals throughout various processing stages. Biological technologies, particularly the use of fungi for bioremediation, offer a variety of specific advantages over conventional chemical procedures such as ozonation, electrochemical processes, and activated carbon. The objective of this review article is to comprehend all the elements pertaining to fungi-based textile effluent treatment as a whole, for enhanced decontamination. The review adds to current knowledge of researchers and industrialists, thereby encouraging them to scale up the remediation of textile effluents, using potent fungi. While current fungal biodegradation approaches do not provide complete degradation of the hot topic “forever chemicals” PFAS, future research should also explore mixed culture or adopted an in-situ approach for the feasibility of complete degradation of PFAS species

Technical Abstract: Textile wastewater poses a significant environmental challenge, primarily due to the presence of diverse contaminants, especially textile dyes. Untreated release of these effluents directly into aquatic systems can lead to aesthetic degradation, eutrophication, reduced photosynthetic activity, and accumulation of hazardous substances. Although conventional treatment methods are employed for reducing the contaminant load in effluents, they often are less efficient, thus, prompting the exploration of innovative alternatives. Current review highlights mycoremediation as an inexpensive, promising and environmentally sustainable solution. Fungi, with their diverse decontamination mechanisms such as biosorption, biotransformation, and immobilization, prove effective in reducing heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, and emerging contaminant levels present in these effluents, However, more research effort is needed to apply the biodegradation strategy to decompose completely the “forever chemicals” PFAS . Fungi play key role in degrading and decolorizing textile dyes due to their superior biocatalytic activity mediated by enzyme production and dye adsorption capabilities. This comprehensive review concentrates on fungi- based remediation of textile wastewater effluents, including the mechanisms they employ. While most studies concentrate on effluent treatment, this review also explores the concurrent utilization of biomass and growth kinetics for efficient reduction in pollutant concentrations. Further, the current work synchronizes data on optimization of growth conditions like pH, temperature and nutrient requirements that lead to efficient effluent decontamination. A bird’s eye perspective of the review is that the application of mycoremediation in textile wastewater treatment provides a compelling pathway for sustainable, eco-friendly solutions to address the environmental challenges posed by such effluents.