Heavy metals, like copper and tin compounds emitted into water system, are toxic to aquatic organisms and often reduce the efficiency of wastewater treatment plants. Application possibility of fungi infested wood used as a biofilter was researched. By screening test of the nutrient media the effect of tin compounds on the growth of Trametes versicolor, Hypoxylon fragiforme, Pleurotus ostreatus, Antrodia vaillantii and Gloeophyllum trabeum was determined. Due to the unavailability of analytical techniques and high fungicidal efficacy, further biofiltration studies were performed with copper solution only. The impact of fungal infestation on the absorption of copper indegraded wood was elucidated. Furthermore, influence of soaking time and copper concentrations on the absorption of these substances in colonized and non-colonized wood substrates was determined as well. As substrate the mixture of beech and spruce wood, wheat bran, inoculated with Hypoxylon fragiforme, Antrodia vaillantii and mould. Substrate, was poured in water solutions with various concentrations of copper (0 ppm, 5 ppm, 10 ppm, 25 ppm, 50 ppm and 100 ppm), and let to soak for different periods (5 min, 15 min and 45 min, 7 days and 14 days). 7 day- and 14 day lasting experiments were carried out with dried substrate as well. The amount of absorbed copper in the substrate and the remained Cu in the water was measured by X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF). The results showed that the control substrate absorbed more copper than infested ones. However, moldy substrate after prolonged soaking proved to be most effective. The least effective was substrate colonized by Antrodia vaillantii.
|
