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Cadmium tolerance and bioremediation potential of filamentous fungus Penicillium chrysogenum FMS2 isolated from soil

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Abstract

Cadmium-tolerant fungus, designated as strain FMS2, was isolated from metal-polluted soil collected from Lahore, Pakistan, and its role in cadmium bioremediation was investigated. Strain FMS2 was identified as Penicillium chrysogenum through sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. Physicochemical growth factors and maximum tolerance level to cadmium were determined. Cadmium uptake and bioremoval potential were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopic analysis, whereas its distribution inside the fungal cell was detected by scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy. P. chrysogenum FMS2 was found to be resistant to cadmium with a maximum tolerance level up to 1000 mg l−1. Strain FMS2 can grow under a wide range of temperature (15–35 °C) and pH conditions (4.0–12.0). The cadmium removal capacity of strain FMS2 was observed as 49 ± 0.8% within 15 days after exposure. Distinct white patches were observed in scanning electron micrographs with clear peaks of cadmium in energy-dispersive spectroscopic spectra indicating cadmium biosorption. The scanning transmission electron micrographs and electron energy loss spectra of strain FMS2 cells revealed cytoplasmic localization of cadmium.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge Higher Education Commission, Pakistan, for provision of funds under International Research Support Initiative Program and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (USA), for providing research facilities in the Center for Environmental Biotechnology, UTK.

Funding

This work was funded by Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan

    G. Din, A. Hassan & A. A. Shah

  2. Joint Institute for Advanced Materials, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA

    G. Din & J. Dunlap

  3. The Center for Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA

    G. Din & S. Ripp

Authors
  1. G. Din
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  2. A. Hassan
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  3. J. Dunlap
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  4. S. Ripp
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  5. A. A. Shah
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Contributions

GD and AAS planned over all theme of the current study. GD and AH has performed all the experimental work in laboratory along with analysis of data. GD has written this manuscript under the guidelines provided by AAS. JD and SR provided the facilities for analysis of cadmium uptake through SEM, EDS, STEM and EELS.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. A. Shah.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Ethics approval

The current study does not include any human or animal subject; therefore, the ethical committee approval is not required.

Additional information

Editorial responsibility: Jing Chen.

Supplementary Information

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13762_2021_3211_MOESM1_ESM.tif

Dry weight of strain FMS2 cultures after 5 days of incubation at (a) different temperatures (15-35°C) and (b) under different pH ranges (4.0-12.0), with optimum growth values determined to be 30°C and pH 6.0. Error bars represent standard deviation (n = 3) (TIF 774 KB)

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Din, G., Hassan, A., Dunlap, J. et al. Cadmium tolerance and bioremediation potential of filamentous fungus Penicillium chrysogenum FMS2 isolated from soil. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 19, 2761–2770 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-021-03211-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-021-03211-7

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