Pilot-Scale Mycoremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Impacted Soil

Mycoremediation of petroleum hydrocarbon (PHC) impacted soil utilizes mushroom to decontaminate polluted soil. Specific mushrooms including shiitake, oyster and other white rot fungus have been successfully degraded a wide range of recalcitrant soil contaminants. However, this process is quite slow and is sometimes limiting. It is hypothesized that insufficient bioavailable phosphorus supply likely limits the mycoremediation performance. To increase nutrient bioavailability to fungi, conventional mycoremediation will be modified by applying gaseous form of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and triethyl phosphate (TEP).
PHC impacted soil will be mixed with the compost inoculated with fungi. Vapour mixture containing NO2 and TEP will be pumped into the bioreactors. Microbial communities will be characterized using molecular analyses. Understanding mechanisms behind uptake of PHCs and phosphorus by fungi will shed more light on optimization of the mycoremediation process.
Stimulated fungal growth and activity resulting from increased nutrient bioavailability is expected to result in significant soil cleanup.

Faculty Supervisor:

Jian Peng

Student:

Paul Daniyan

Partner:

Stantec Consulting Ltd.

Discipline:

Engineering - civil

Sector:

Education

University:

Program: