Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Comprehensive Assessment of Mycofiltration Biotechnology to Remove Pathogens from Urban Storm Water
EPA Contract Number: EPD12010Title: Comprehensive Assessment of Mycofiltration Biotechnology to Remove Pathogens from Urban Storm Water
Investigators: Stamets, Paul
Small Business: Fungi Perfecti LLC
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: March 1, 2012 through August 31, 2012
Project Amount: $80,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2012) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: SBIR - Water and Wastewater , Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
Description:
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
Six fungal species that were expected to demonstrate antibacterial activity and resilient growth characteristics were grown on five different substrate combinations. Of the 30 batches of mycofilters initially produced, 19 batches demonstrated the rate of growth needed to proceed to the resiliency testing portion of the project. Following resiliency testing, one species clearly stood out as far more resilient than the others. When this freshly tested mycofiltration media was analyzed for its ability to remove E. coli from flowing water, there was a statistically significant difference compared with the controls, and there was no significant difference between the vigor tested and the non-vigor tested MycoFiltersTM. As this bench-scale test was conducted with the more difficult to remove dissolved bacteria as opposed to the more common sediment-bound bacteria, this innovative water quality solution demonstrated its potential. Subsequent trials with influent containing both sediment and E. coli achieved some additional reductions.
Conclusions:
Supplemental Keywords:
Mycofiltration, fungal mycelium, stormwater filtration, E. coli, pathogen, SBIR, wastewater treatmentThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.