Mycoremediation: The Ability of Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster mushroom) to Absorb Plastic and Heavy Metal from Contaminated Soil

This study evaluated the dual bioremediation potential of Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) in remediating polyethylene (PE) and copper (Cu) from naturally contaminated soil collected at Tejeros Convention, Rosario, Cavite. The site represents an urban environment influenced by anthropogenic activities, allowing assessment of fungal remediation under realistic soil conditions. Coconut husk and wood flakes were used as lignocellulosic substrates to examine their influence on fungal remediation efficiency, alongside a positive control (Lentinula edodes) and a negative control. Copper biosorption and bioaccumulation were quantified using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, while polyethylene degradation was assessed through gravimetric weight loss analysis. Baseline measurements at Day 0 confirmed the absence of copper uptake and polyethylene degradation prior to fungal activity. By Day 20, P. ostreatus exhibited moderate copper uptake, with higher accumulation in coconut husk (4.456 mg/kg) than in wood flakes (2.675 mg/kg), while polyethylene degradation remained minimal. By Day 40, copper accumulation increased to 6.375 mg/kg in coconut husk and 6.179 mg/kg in wood flakes, approaching values observed in the positive control. Polyethylene degradation was greater in wood flakes (0.613 g) than in coconut husk (0.425 g), indicating substrate-dependent differences. Overall, P. ostreatus demonstrated the capacity to simultaneously remediate copper and polyethylene, highlighting the potential of substrate-assisted mycoremediation for mixed-contaminant soils. Keywords: Pleurotus ostreatus, Mycoremediation, Polyethylene degradation, Copper absorption; Contaminated soil, Coconut husk substrate, Wood flakes substrate, Dual bioremediation, Heavy metals, Plastic pollution