Bioremediation of PAH's using Pleurotus ostreatus

Purpose: This study aims to investigates Pleurotus ostreatus (P. ostreatus) fungi's strain efficacy in degrading oil contaminants, specifically polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Materials and Methods: The experiment involved spiking sterilized soil samples with PAHs at concentrations of 200 ppm and 20 ppm for 18 different PAHs. The process, conducted twice for reliability, included allowing P. ostreatus mycelium to proliferate over twenty days. Findings: Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed a significant 90% degradation rate for certain PAHs. Intriguingly, even in samples without P. ostreatus mycelium, a level of degradation occurred, indicating the participation of indigenous microorganisms or abiotic processes. The study underscores P. ostreatus' potential for PAH degradation and emphasizes the importance of natural remediation techniques for oil-contaminated soils. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Recommendations include exploring factors influencing the degradation process and analyzing the soil's microbial community. Further research is needed to maximize P. ostreatus' environmental remediation applications.