Mycelium Filtration for Heavy Metal Removal from Water

Abandoned mines across the U.S. are persistent sources of metal contamination in drainage water, highlighting a need for effective and sustainable treatment solutions. Conventional technologies for treating mining-influenced water are often limited by high energy requirements, intensive maintenance, the generation of hazardous waste, and limited removal efficiency. This study evaluates a passive mycoremediation system that utilizes fungal mycelium to capture heavy metals from contaminated water. Pleurotus eryngii and Pleurotus ostreatus were selected for their rapid growth, environmental resilience, and demonstrated affinity for the targeted metals: copper, zinc, and manganese. A benchscale vertical filter column containing living mycelium was designed to treat a flow of 12 mL/min, achieving removal efficiencies of 52% for Cu, 45% for Zn, and 38% for Mn. The initial metal concentrations were 76.64 mg/L Cu, 67.15 mg/L Zn, and 12.22 mg/L Mn. Final concentrations were reduced to approximately 37.02 mg/L Cu, 37.05 mg/L Zn, and 7.61 mg/L Mn after four passes. These results highlight the potential of mycofiltration as a low-cost, sustainable technology for heavy metal removal, with further optimization needed to improve efficacy and evaluate scalability.