Last February 2021, the scientific article “Mycoremediation of Soils Polluted with Trichloroethylene: First Evidence of Pleurotus Genus Effectiveness” was published in the prestigious journal “Applied Sciences”.

This publication is the result of the collaboration between KEPLER and the research group of the Dept. of Agricultural Chemistry and Bromatology of the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, with whom we have been doing research for years.

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a synthetic halogenated hydrocarbon widely used in the industrial cleaning sector as a solvent or as a component in the synthesis of refrigerant substances. Its xenobiotic nature, physicochemical properties and diverse applications mean that TCE is currently detected in air, water and soil at multiple sites, posing a significant risk to human health and the environment due to its carcinogenic potential. The objective of the present work was to evaluate for the first time the removal efficiency of TCE in soil using two fungal species of the genus Pleurotus: Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus eryngii. Both species present different intra- and extracellular enzyme systems capable of aerobically metabolizing TCE, transforming it into less harmful compounds. The results obtained demonstrated the ability of both fungi to colonize the soil and produce ligninolytic enzymes even in the presence of high concentrations of TCE.

Therefore, it is crucial to continue working along these lines in order to elucidate the mechanisms involved in TCE mycodegdation and to evaluate how to stimulate TCE delivery and to evaluate how to stimulate the development of TCE.