Effect of Organic Matter and Lead Concentration on Soil Mycoremediation Using the Fungus Pleurotus ostreatus in Pampalca, Huancavelica, Peru (#689)

Authors

Pizarro Tocto, Nicol Milagros

Valeriano Ballarta, Máxima Lucia

Ruiz- Huaman, Carmen Milagros

Abstract

Abstract– Soil contamination by lead (Pb) derived from mining environmental liabilities represents a critical environmental and public health problem in high-Andean regions of Peru. This study evaluated the effect of organic matter content and initial lead concentration on the efficiency of soil mycoremediation using the fungus Pleurotus ostreatus under laboratory conditions. Soil samples were collected from the community of Pampalca, Huancavelica, where Pb concentrations exceeded the Peruvian Environmental Quality Standards for agricultural soils. Three initial Pb concentrations (288.73, 370.29 and 546.73 mg/kg) and three proportions of organic substrate inoculated with P. ostreatus (5 %, 15 % and 25 %) were tested, using corn cob as a lignocellulosic substrate. Lead concentrations were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and organic matter content was analyzed using the Walkley–Black method. A two-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed a statistically significant interaction between lead concentration and organic matter percentage (p < 0.05), indicating that both factors significantly influence Pb removal efficiency. The highest lead removal was obtained at an initial concentration of 288.73 mg/kg with 15 % organic matter, achieving a reduction of 104.77 mg/kg. These results demonstrate the potential of Pleurotus ostreatus as a sustainable and environmentally viable alternative for the remediation of lead-contaminated soils in mining-impacted high-altitude environments.