Role of Fungi in Bioremediation and Environmental Sustainability

Fungal bioremediation is the safest and most renewable method for cleaning up polluted sites. Fungi have multiple ways of eliminating various toxicities and recalcitrant contaminants, such as secretion of powerful fungal enzymes. The bioremediation process is cost effective and environmentally friendly by means of several biological methods, which transform recalcitrant contaminants into environmentally benign products. Because of their robust morphology and numerous metabolic capacities, fungi play crucial roles in bioremediation. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi play important roles in bioremediation of heavy metals. Microbes utilize organic matter from pollutants for their proper growth and development. Moreover, they help plants to access important nutrients (including nitrogen and phosphorus) and minor nutrients (including sulfur and trace elements). The main objective of bioremediation is to mineralize pollutants by transforming them into carbon dioxide, water, nitrogen gas, hydrochloric acid, etc. It is difficult to decompose heavy metals and radioactive ions, because they are converted into less soluble forms; for example, uranium(IV) is oxidized into uranium dioxide, a less dangerous form of uranium. These compounds can then be removed physically from the soil with the help of phytoremediation or mycoremediation involving co-cultivation of fungi and plants.