Mycofiltration for Metal Removal in Underperforming Wastewater Treatment Plants: Regulatory Implications for South Africa.

IF 3.3 4区环境科学与生态学 Q2 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management Pub Date : 2026-10-13 DOI:10.1093/inteam/vjag166

Sanele M Mnkandla, Norah Basopo, Patricks Voua Otomo

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

To improve wastewater treatment, technologies such as mycofiltration, i.e., the treatment of contaminated water by passing it through a network of fungal mycelia, can be employed. This study sought to evaluate the performance of a local wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in the removal of selected metals, perform mycofiltration on the wastewater, and assess metal removal in the filtrate. Wastewater influent and effluent samples were collected and analysed for Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Aluminium (Al), Arsenic (As), Cadmium (Cd), Chromium (Cr), Cobalt (Co), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Lead (Pb), Manganese (Mn), Mercury (Hg), Molybdenum (Mo), Nickel (Ni), Phosphorus (P), Selenium (Se), Titanium (Ti) and Zinc (Zn). A Pleurotus ostreatus mycofilter was cultured and packed into Pyrex columns (3.3 x 15 cm). Wastewater samples were mycofiltered at a constant flow rate, and metal removal efficiency was assessed. The wastewater quality index (WWQI) was also calculated. The WWTP performed poorly, as only Na, Fe, and P had lower levels in the effluent compared to the influent. There were no changes between influent and effluent metal concentrations for most metals. After mycofiltration of the wastewater influent, P, Hg, Na, Fe, K and Cu were removed with an efficiency of 99%, 50%, 48%, 31%, 30%, and 23%, respectively. Mycofiltration of the wastewater effluent removed P, K, Pb, Hg and Fe with an efficiency of 99%, 52%, 51%, 51% and 10%, respectively. Mycofiltration could not remove metals such as Ca, Cr and Cd. The WWQI for the WWTP effluent, the mycofiltered influent and the mycofiltered effluent were 604.6, 582.2, and 548.0, respectively. Mycofiltration thus slightly improved wastewater quality as denoted by the lower indices. The findings demonstrate the potential use of mycofiltration as a science-informed bioaugmentation strategy for WWTPs to enhance regulatory compliance.

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在表现不佳的污水处理厂进行金属去除的真菌过滤：对南非的监管意义。

为了改善废水处理，可以采用诸如真菌过滤之类的技术，即通过真菌菌丝体网络处理受污染的水。本研究旨在评估当地污水处理厂（WWTP）去除选定金属的性能，对废水进行菌体过滤，并评估滤液中的金属去除率。收集了污水流入和流出的样品，并分析了钠（Na）、钾(K)、钙（Ca）、镁（Mg）、铝（Al）、砷（As）、镉（Cd）、铬（Cr）、钴（Co）、铜（Cu）、铁（Fe）、铅（Pb）、锰（Mn）、汞（Hg）、钼（Mo）、镍（Ni）、磷(P)、硒（Se）、钛（Ti）和锌（Zn）。培养平菇菌滤器，装入Pyrex柱（3.3 x 15 cm）。以恒定流速对废水样品进行真菌过滤，并对金属去除效率进行评估。并计算了污水水质指数（WWQI）。污水处理厂表现不佳，因为只有Na， Fe和P在流出物中的含量低于流入物。大多数金属的流入和流出金属浓度之间没有变化。进水经真菌过滤后，P、Hg、Na、Fe、K和Cu的去除率分别为99%、50%、48%、31%、30%和23%。对废水进行菌体过滤后，P、K、Pb、Hg、Fe的去除率分别为99%、52%、51%、51%和10%。菌体过滤不能去除Ca、Cr和Cd等金属。污水处理厂出水、菌体过滤出水和菌体过滤出水的WWQI分别为604.6、582.2和548.0。因此，微菌过滤稍微改善了废水的质量，用较低的指数表示。研究结果表明，真菌过滤作为一种科学的生物增强策略，有可能用于污水处理厂，以提高法规遵从性。

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来源期刊

Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCESTOXICOLOGY&nbs-TOXICOLOGY

CiteScore

5.90

自引率

6.50%

发文量

156

期刊介绍： Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management (IEAM) publishes the science underpinning environmental decision making and problem solving. Papers submitted to IEAM must link science and technical innovations to vexing regional or global environmental issues in one or more of the following core areas: Science-informed regulation, policy, and decision making Health and ecological risk and impact assessment Restoration and management of damaged ecosystems Sustaining ecosystems Managing large-scale environmental change Papers published in these broad fields of study are connected by an array of interdisciplinary engineering, management, and scientific themes, which collectively reflect the interconnectedness of the scientific, social, and environmental challenges facing our modern global society: Methods for environmental quality assessment; forecasting across a number of ecosystem uses and challenges (systems-based, cost-benefit, ecosystem services, etc.); measuring or predicting ecosystem change and adaptation Approaches that connect policy and management tools; harmonize national and international environmental regulation; merge human well-being with ecological management; develop and sustain the function of ecosystems; conceptualize, model and apply concepts of spatial and regional sustainability Assessment and management frameworks that incorporate conservation, life cycle, restoration, and sustainability; considerations for climate-induced adaptation, change and consequences, and vulnerability Environmental management applications using risk-based approaches; considerations for protecting and fostering biodiversity, as well as enhancement or protection of ecosystem services and resiliency.