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DEMONSTRATION BULLETIN: FUNGAL TREATMENT BULLETIN
Citation:
U.S. EPA. DEMONSTRATION BULLETIN: FUNGAL TREATMENT BULLETIN. EPA/540/MR-93/514, 1993.
Impact/Purpose:
publish information
Description:
Fungal treatment technology uses white rot fungi (lignin degrading fungi) to treat organic contaminated soils in situ. Organic materials inoculated with the fungi are mechanically mixed into the contaminated soil. Using enzymes normally produced for wood degradation as well as other enzyme systems, the fungi break down soil contaminants. Moisture control is needed and temperature and aeration may be important. This system was designed to treat soil contaminated with chemicals found in the wood preserving industry. These include chlorinated organics and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. A SITE demonstration was initiated in September 1991 at the Wood Preserving site in Brookhaven, Mississippi. Site soils were contaminated with pentachlorophenol and PAH. Study results showed that one lignin-degrading fungus removed 89% of pentachlorophenol and 70% PAHs during a 2-month period. A full-scale demonstration was completed in November 1992 at the same site involving a plot of contaminated soil and 2 control plots. Initial results showed a 70% reduction in contaminants, both in the plot containing the fungal treatment and in the plot containing a nonfungal, organic amendment. Unidentified, indigenous fungal species may have significantly reduced contaminants in the nonfungal plot. About 13% of contamination was removed from the soil-only control plot.