Fungi species identified from polluted environment for chromium sequestration and solid state fermentation on tannery shaving waste

Accumulation of hexavalent chromium in the environment affects our ecosystem. Physico-chemical treatment did not solve the problem, due to high requirement of operational costs & energy, insolubility of Cr (VI) at any pH & sludge accumulation. The study aim is screening and evaluating fungi for chromium biosorption for mycoremediation. Soil and effluent sample were collected. PDA media was used for fungi purification. Fungal chromium tolerance evaluation and optimization was conducted at pH (4, 7, 10), T⁰ (25, 27.5, 35 °C), Cr concentration (5000–25000 ppm) using Full Factorial experimental design. Spore count, biomass production, Cr tolerance index, mycelia growth were evaluated. Flame Absorptive Spectrophotometer was used for quantification of fungal chromium removal. Fungi species were identified by MALDI-TOF. Fungi growth & degradation of tannery shaving waste was evaluated. The result revealed 6 potential fungi, T. longibrachiatum, T, koningii, A. niger, G. candidum, P. rubens, T. orientale were identified. Optimium mean biomass & spore count were 0.514 ± 0.051& 1.39 ± 0.038 at pH4 and 27.5 °C respectively. MTL test indicate that Trichoderma species, A. niger & P. rubens survive up to 10,000 ppm, 15, 000 ppm & 20,000 ppm respectively. FAAS analysis of fungi chromium removal from aqueous media result indicate that A. niger (99%). T. longibrachiatum (85%) and P. ruben (84.6%). These 6 fungi are efficient in tannery shaving waste degradation but A. niger was superior in spore count 15.1 Log/mL and 7 g substrate weight loss. In conclusion three fungi have high chromium tolerance and removal capacity and shaving waste degradation promising for mycoremediation.