Biological significance of edible mushrooms in mycoremediation

Abstract

The importance of fungi in environmental remediation is due both to their ability to biotransformation of xenobiotics and to accumulate heavy metals. These processes depend primarily on the species, while the role of the species or systematic affiliation is less important, as is the strategy of symbiosis, for example: mycorrhiza, parasitism or saprophytism. The main factors controlling the absorption of metals by mushrooms are bioavailability and soil type, while xenobiotics are dependent on soil factors such as cation exchange capacity, pH, or organic matter content. The composition of the substrate is an important factor as there are large differences in the intake of individual substances. The composition, the amount of impurities present, but also the age of the mycelium that may be present in nature for many years or (compared) only for several months under culture conditions. It is a well-known fact that the content of mushroom fruiting bodies is correlated with the emission of pollutants.