Potential of Pleurotus ostreatus Mycelium for Selenium Absorption

This research investigated how oyster mushroom mycelium (Pleurotus ostreatus) can absorb and process selenium from its environment. The findings show that this fungus can effectively accumulate significant amounts of selenium, though very high levels eventually become toxic to it. This has important real-world applications: • Could help clean up selenium-contaminated soil and water through natural processes • Offers potential for producing selenium-enriched mushrooms for dietary supplements • Provides insights into how organisms can safely process potentially toxic metals • Demonstrates new possibilities for environmental cleanup using fungi • Shows promise for developing more sustainable remediation technologies