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Metal accumulation by fungi: Applications in environmental biotechnology

  • Published:
Journal of Industrial Microbiology

Summary

Fungi can accumulate metal and radionuclide species by physico-chemical and biological mechanisms including extracellular binding by metabolites and biopolymers, binding to specific polypeptides and metabolism-dependent accumulation. Biosorptive processes appear to have the most potential for environmental biotechnology. ‘Biosorption’ consists of accumulation by predominatly metabolism-independent interactions, such as adsorptive or ion-exchange processes: the biosorptive capacity of the biomass can be manipulated by a range of physical and chemical treatments. Immobilized biomass retains biosorptive properties and possesses a number of advantages for process applications. Native or immobilized biomass can be used in fixed-bed, air-lift or fluidized bed bioreactors; biosorbed metal/radionuclide species can be removed for reclamation and the biomass regenerated by simple chemical treatments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biology, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland

    J. M. Tobin

  2. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Dundee, DD1 4HN, Dundee, Scotland, UK

    C. White &  G. M. Gadd

Authors
  1. J. M. Tobin
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  2. C. White
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  3. G. M. Gadd
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Tobin, J.M., White, C. & Gadd, G.M. Metal accumulation by fungi: Applications in environmental biotechnology. Journal of Industrial Microbiology 13, 126–130 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01584110

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01584110

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