Abstract
The arsenic (As, III) and cadmium (Cd, II) accumulation and tolerance traits of a new strain Pleurotus pulmonarius MT were evaluated, and the utilization of the strain for repairing contaminated liquid and soil was explored. The hypha cultivated in potato dextrose agar (PDA) exhibited medium or high Cd accumulation (0 to 320 mg/L), medium Cd tolerance (maximum tolerated concentration, MTC ≥ 640 mg/L), medium As accumulation (0 to 80 mg/L), and high As tolerance (MTC > 1280 mg/L). The hypha has application potential in processes related to the removal of Cd and As in aqueous pollutants at concentrations of 80 mg/L Cd and 20 mg/L As. The trends obtained for the fruiting bodies of P. pulmonarius MT seemed to deviate from those of the hypha of this strain. The results show that the fruiting bodies featured medium As accumulation (0 to 40 mg/kg), medium As tolerance (MTC > 160 mg/kg), medium Cd accumulation (0 to 10 mg/kg), and high Cd tolerance (MTC > 1280 mg/kg). The fruiting bodies of P. pulmonarius MT were utilized in processes related to the recovery of Cd and As in substrates, that is, 12% contaminated soil mixed with 50 mg/kg Cd and 200 mg/kg As; thus, the hypha and fruiting bodies of P. pulmonarius MT can be used for the decontamination of water and soil containing As(III) and Cd(II).