102

Bioremediation for Sustainable Environmental Cleanup

plants are omnipresent. Arbuscular mycorrhizae perform several roles in plant growth, such as

enhancing nutrient and minerals uptake, drought resistance and immunization from plant diseases

(Pramanik et al. 2021, Hildebrandt et al. 2007). Arbuscular mycorrhizae such as Glomus mosseae

and G. etunicatum associated with ryegrass roots efficiently degrade PAHs such as FLR and PHE

(Gao et al. 2010). Chulalaksananukul et al. (2006) reported that Fusarium sp., isolated from the

leaves of Pterocarpus macrocarpus, capable of degrading B(a)P by 70% of 100 ppm concentration.

Kannangara et al. (2016) identified different endophytic fungi such as P. oxalicum, Nigrospora

oryzae, A. oryzae and A. aculeatus which are very efficient at degrading NAP as well as PHE above

than 85% of removal efficiency.

6.7 Conclusion

Nowadays, bioremediation approaches for environmental pollutants like PAHs of contaminated soil

have received significant importance in the scientific community as they are not easily eliminated

by natural processes and can reside for decades in the environment. In accordance with this, PAHs

are associated with various health issues such as cancer, kidney failure, lung malfunction, etc. In

this context, among the different PAHs remediation approaches, fungal bioremediation approaches

are the most promising techniques for the future as it promotes sustainability and cost-effectivity.

Fungal representatives like Basidiomycota and Ascomycota are the predominant communities,

involved in biodegradation of different types of LMW and HMW PAHs compounds. Accelerated

biotransformation of PAHs via mycoremediation strategies such as enzymatic metabolism,

biosurfactant production, biochar immobilized fungal administration and utilization of rhizospheric

and endophytic fungi can be harnessed as nature’s own medicine to combat with such polluting

ecological malaises. Utilization of these fungal strategies can accelerate the bioremediation of PAHs

and can open a “novel biotechnological green-window” for eco-sustainable mother earth.

Acknowledgement

Sandipan Banerjee and Nitu Gupta thank the Department of Biotechnology, Govt. of India, for

granting DBT Twinning Project and Research Fellowship [No. BT/PR25738/NER/95/1329/2017

dated December 24, 2018]. Apurba Koley is thankful to the BBSRC, United Kingdom, for granting

funding from the BEFWAM project: Bioenergy, Fertilizer and Clean water from Invasive Aquatic

macrophytes [Grant Ref: BB/S011439/1] for financial support and research fellowship.

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