Self-Remediating Fungal Materials: Advancing Sustainable Wastewater Treatment

Synthetic dyes, prevalent in industries such as textiles and plastics, contribute significantly to environmental pollution, with the textile industry alone generating 70 billion tonnes of dye-laden wastewater annually. Traditional methods for treating dye-containing wastewater, face significant limitations such as the generation of toxic byproducts, high operational costs, and inefficiencies in managing complex and persistent pollutants, underscoring the need for more effective and sustainable solutions. This research aims to address these challenges by exploring novel applications of Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) for dye remediation.

This study investigates the use of white rot fungus Trametes versicolor SV1 for treating Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR) dye-containing wastewater through mycoremediation. This process involves both adsorption of dyes onto the fungal cell wall and their degradation via nonspecific ligninolytic enzymes, such as laccase, manganese peroxidase, and lignin peroxidase. The research introduces a dual-purpose approach where the dyed fungal biomass resulting from the remediation process is repurposed into a fungal living material (FLM) with leather-like properties. This FLM is designed to self-remediate at the end of its lifecycle by reactivating its metabolic activity to degrade dye molecules, ensuring safe and environmentally responsible disposal.

By encompassing the entire lifecycle—from fabrication to disposal—this approach opens promising avenues for advancing environmental wastewater management and sustainable material development. Future research could expand this methodology to address a wider spectrum of water contaminants, including antibiotics and hormones. The FLM’s ability to secrete specific enzymes in response to different pollutants enables it to dynamically adapt and function, establishing it as a versatile and innovative solution for a range of environmental wastewater challenges.