Removal of cadmium by Pleurotus sajor-caju basidiomycetes

The bioaccumulation of cadmium by the white rot fungus Pleurotus sajor-caju onto dry biomass was investigated using aqueous media with concentrations in the range of 0.125 mM-1.0 mM The highest cadmium uptake (between 88.9 and 91.8%) was observed with aerobic fungal biomass from the exponential growth phase. Up to 1.0 mM cadmium gradually inhibited mycelium development, but never blocked it completely. Freeze-dried, oven-dried and non-metabolizing live Pleurotus sajor-caju biomass types were tested for their capacity to adsorb the test ion Cd2+ within the pH range of 4.5 to 6.0. Freeze-dried biomass proved to be the most efficient biomass type for Cd2+ metal adsorption. Therefore, Pleurotus sajor-caju may be used for heavy metal removal and bioremediation.