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Mycoremediation of Petroleum-Contaminated Soil Using Native Ganoderma and Trametes Strains from the Ecuadorian Amazon

Summary

Oil spills in the Amazon rainforest cause serious environmental and health problems. Scientists discovered that certain mushroom fungi found in Ecuador can break down petroleum pollutants in soil more effectively than natural processes. In lab tests, five native fungal strains removed over 96% of petroleum hydrocarbons from contaminated soil in just 60 days, offering a promising natural solution for cleaning up oil-polluted areas.

Background

Petroleum contamination in soils, particularly from oil spills in the Ecuadorian Amazon, poses significant environmental and health risks. White-rot fungi possess ligninolytic enzyme systems capable of degrading complex organic pollutants including petroleum hydrocarbons. This study explores the potential of native fungal strains for sustainable mycoremediation of contaminated soils.

Objective

To identify native Ascomycota and Basidiomycota strains from Yasuní National Park with high oxidase activity and evaluate their mycoremediation potential for petroleum-contaminated soils. The study selected five top-performing strains for a 60-day soil microcosm experiment to assess total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) removal efficiency.

Results

Five selected strains removed 95.7% to 99.3% of total petroleum hydrocarbons from contaminated soil, significantly exceeding controls (12.4-24.0% removal). Ganoderma cf. parvulum and Trametes menziesii strains demonstrated laccase activities 2-14 fold higher than the reference strain Trametes versicolor. All fungal treatments showed increased soil respiration, pH alkalinization, and higher microbial populations compared to controls.

Conclusion

Native fungal strains from the Ecuadorian Amazon, particularly Ganoderma cf. parvulum and Trametes species, demonstrate high potential for mycoremediation of petroleum-contaminated soils with removal efficiencies exceeding 96%. These results support further field-scale studies and integration of native fungal strains into large-scale bioremediation strategies for oil-polluted ecosystems.
  • Published in:Journal of Fungi (Basel),
  • Study Type:Experimental Laboratory Study,
  • Source: PMID: 41003197, DOI: 10.3390/jof11090651
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