Abstract
In the present study, Aspergillus fumigatus (Genbank accession no. KX365202), was used for heavy metal removal in a hexa-metal system containing mixture of six heavy metals (Cu, Cr, Cd, Ni, Pb and Zn). The total concentration of the heavy metals was kept at 30 mg L−1. The experimental sets were designed based on the relative abundance of the heavy metals present in the wastewater of Delhi-NCR region. Toxicity of the heavy metals to the fungus varied with different metal combinations. Combination of Pb and Cr proved to be most toxic followed by that of Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn and Ni. Biomass production of 2.90 g L−1 was found in control whereas the combination Pb and Cr produced the lowest biomass (1.59 g L−1). In the presence of six metals, heavy metal removal pattern was Ni = Cd > Cu > Pb > Zn > Cr. SEM studies showed broken fungal hyphae in presence of hexa-metal stress. TEM–EDX studies showed that among the six heavy metals, Cu, Pb and Cd were adsorbed on the cell surface whereas Ni, Cr and Zn were accumulated inside as well outside of the cell. This system could be useful in treating water with multiple heavy metal contaminants.
Article Highlights
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Combination of six heavy metals used to test toxicity effect on fungus
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Metal removal pattern in presence of six metal followed order Ni = Cd > Cu > Pb > Zn > Cr
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Combination of Pb and Cr produced lowest biomass proving toxic to the fungus
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Hexa metal stress caused broken hyphae in fungus
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Heavy metals partitioned by either adsorbing on the surface or going intracellular
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Present study approximates natural conditions containing mixtures of heavy metals
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Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge Central Research Facility (CRF) IIT Delhi for SEM studies and AIRF (JNU) for TEM–EDX studies. The authors are thankful to the NFBSFARA, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, for financial aid.
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Bhattacharya, A., Gola, D., Dey, P. et al. Synergistic and Antagonistic Effects on Metal Bioremediation with Increasing Metal Complexity in a Hexa-metal Environment by Aspergillus fumigatus. Int J Environ Res 14, 761–770 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41742-020-00295-w
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41742-020-00295-w