Fungal Diversity and Its Role in Mycoremediation

Mycoremediation is deemed as a very effective method of pollutant removal considering the versatility of fungi in terms of their ecology, nutritional modes, adaptability, morphology, physiology, and metabolism. Fungi, being decomposers, are indispensable for nutrient recycling in an ecosystem. They have the unique ability to metabolize different organic and inorganic pollutants using them as energy and carbon sources, and degrading them to innocuous concentrations and non-hazardous states. A large number of fungal genera from almost all fungal phyla have exhibited the ability of pollutant degradation, while two major phyla Basidiomycota and Ascomycota have been most extensively explored due to their profound ligninolytic activities and thereby remarkable mycoremediation performance. Biodegradation of a large number of pollutants has been accomplished using fungal systems, such as polyaromatic hydrocarbons, pharmaceutically active compounds, heavy metals, synthetic dyes, toxins, and radionuclides. These pollutants are degraded through physically or enzymatically controlled mechanisms like bioaccumulation, biosorption, biomineralization, and biotransformation. This review widely focuses on the exploration of fungal diversity for bioremediation of different types of pollutants encompassing their physiological aspects. It also unravels the mechanisms involved in the pollutant degradation processes and gives an insight into the strategies that could enhance the efficiency of mycoremediation process.