Sorption of heavy metals by four basidiomycetous fungi

Biosorptions of Pb²⁺, Cr⁶⁺, Cd²⁺ and Ni²⁺ were investigated, with special emphasis on the first one, using live and dead fungal mycelia. Of the four fungi, namely Polyporus ostreiformis, Volvariella volvacea, Pleurotus sajor-caju and Phanerochaete chrysosporium, the last one was found to be most effective in Pb²⁺ removal. Total biosorption was effected in 6 days up to the Pb²⁺ concentration of 6 mg/l, with a specific uptake of 1.33 mg Pb²⁺/g dry cell mass. The removal of other three metals varied between 28.8–73.3% from a medium containing 4 mg/l of each of the metals.Laboratory facilities created under M.Tech programme in Biotechnology and Engineering (sponsored by Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India) were partly utilized for this study.