Removal of cadmium by Pleurotus sajor‐caju basidiomycetes

Abstract The bioaccumulation of cadmium by the white rot fungus Pleurotus sajor‐caju onto dry biomass was investigated using aqueous media with concentrations in the range of 0.125 mM–1.0 mM The highest cadmium uptake (between 88.9 and 91.8%) was observed with aerobic fungal biomass from the exponential growth phase. Up to 1.0 mM cadmium gradually inhibited mycelium development, but never blocked it completely. Freeze‐dried, oven‐dried and non‐metabolizing live Pleurotus sajor‐caju biomass types were tested for their capacity to adsorb the test ion Cd2+ within the pH range of 4.5 to 6.0. Freeze–dried biomass proved to be the most efficient biomass type for Cd2+ metal adsorption. Therefore, Pleurotus sajor‐caju may be used for heavy metal removal and bioremediation.