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Use of Ganoderma lucidum grown on agricultural waste to remove antibiotics from water

Summary

Researchers discovered that a type of mushroom called Ganoderma lucidum can help clean water contaminated with antibiotics. When the mushroom is grown on leftover agricultural materials like almond shells and coffee grounds, its root-like structure can remove certain antibiotics from water in just three days. This offers a cheap and sustainable way to address antibiotic pollution that contributes to antibiotic-resistant infections.

Background

Antibiotic-rich effluents from farming and medical establishments contaminate waterways, promoting antibiotic resistance that poses serious risks to human health and environmental ecosystems. Conventional wastewater treatment plants are ineffective at removing many antibiotic types, and current removal methods such as activated carbon and membrane filtration have limited efficacy. Fungi have shown promise as natural, low-cost remediation agents for various environmental contaminants.

Objective

This study investigated the potential of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium grown on agricultural waste to remove antibiotics from synthetic wastewater. The researchers tested 20 antibiotics from six different classes to evaluate the bioremediation potential of this white rot fungus grown on repurposed agricultural biomass.

Results

After 3 days of treatment with mycelial biomass, statistically significant reductions were observed in 3 quinolones (enrofloxacin, norfloxacin, enoxacin) and 1 sulfonamide (sulfadimethoxine), with reductions up to 82.4%. Similar non-significant trends or neutral results were observed in the other 16 antibiotics tested. No significant antibiotic reduction occurred in control samples lacking mycelium.

Conclusion

This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that Ganoderma lucidum grown on agricultural waste can effectively bioremediate certain antibiotics, particularly quinolones and sulfonamides, in synthetic wastewater. The findings suggest a promising, sustainable, and low-cost approach to antibiotic removal using repurposed agricultural waste, though further research is needed to understand removal mechanisms and optimize conditions.
  • Published in:RSC Advances (Royal Society of Chemistry),
  • Study Type:Experimental Laboratory Study,
  • Source: PMID: 41496844, DOI: 10.1039/d5ra06482a
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