Projects

Type: Historical field experimentationLocation: Washington, USA Some of the early development of mycofiltration involved Stropharia rugosoannulata growing through woodchip beds positioned where water drained from livestock areas. These observations helped stimulate subsequent attempts to investigate fungal filtration scientifically. Later controlled studies have produced much more nuanced results and demonstrated the importance of flow rate, substrate, … Read more

Type: Experimental space biologyLocation: International Space Station Some melanized fungi are unusually tolerant of high-radiation environments. Researchers therefore grew Cladosporium sphaerospermum aboard the International Space Station to investigate its behaviour and possible radiation-shielding properties. The experiment investigated both fungal growth in the space environment and radiation levels associated with the fungal biomass. This remains exploratory … Read more

Type: Laboratory researchLocation: Portugal Researchers studying the marine fungus Zalerion maritimum investigated whether it could contribute to the biodegradation of polyethylene microplastics. Under the experimental conditions, polyethylene pellets exposed to the fungus decreased in both mass and size, while chemical analyses provided further evidence of changes to the material. This does not mean that fungi … Read more

Type: Commercial fungal materialsLocation: USA MycoWorks has taken another approach to fungal biomaterials, developing a process called Fine Mycelium that controls mycelial growth to produce dense sheet materials. Its Reishi material has been developed for applications including fashion, footwear, automotive products and interior design. The company has also worked with established luxury brands and manufacturers. … Read more

Type: Commercial fungal biotechnologyLocation: USA Mycelium technology is not limited to environmental remediation. Ecovative has developed manufacturing processes that use fungal mycelium to bind plant-derived materials into useful products. One of the best-known applications has been moulded packaging intended to replace some conventional petroleum-derived foam packaging. Its significance for applied mycology is larger than the … Read more

Type: Field-scale remediation studyLocation: Mississippi, USA An abandoned wood-treatment facility provided the setting for a year-long field-scale investigation into heavily creosote-contaminated soil. Researchers constructed biopiles and investigated several methods intended to encourage biodegradation, including forced aeration, addition of plant material and application of Cladosporium fungus. This is useful historical work because it illustrates an important … Read more

Type: Experimental bioreactorLocation: Spain Another research programme investigated fungal treatment of water contaminated with diuron, an agricultural herbicide. Four lignin-degrading fungi were examined, with Trametes versicolor emerging as the strongest candidate under the experimental conditions. Researchers subsequently investigated how operating conditions affected removal when the fungus was incorporated into a trickle-bed reactor. The study is … Read more

Type: Experimental bioreactorLocation: Spain Researchers investigated whether the white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor could remove bentazone, a widely used agricultural herbicide, from contaminated water. After promising flask experiments, the researchers moved the fungus into a trickle-bed reactor where it was immobilised on pine woodchips and operated under non-sterile conditions. Performance was lower than in the controlled … Read more

Type: Experimental water treatmentLocation: USA More recent research has examined Stropharia rugosoannulata, oyster mushrooms and other fungi as biological filters for water contaminated with pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Researchers grew dense fungal networks through woodchips and exposed them to contaminated wetland water. Stropharia rugosoannulata performed particularly well against several of the organisms tested, although effectiveness … Read more

Type: Applied research / mycofiltrationLocation: Washington, USA Researchers investigated whether woodchip and straw filters colonised by fungi could reduce E. coli in contaminated stormwater. Species tested included Stropharia, Pleurotus and Irpex fungi. The work is particularly interesting because it moved beyond simply demonstrating fungal activity in a laboratory dish. Water was actually passed through colonised … Read more