Innovative Mycelium Bio-Composites (MB) from Birch Sanding Dust and Chitosan with Enhanced Heavy Metals Sorption...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Chitosan is recognized for its heavy metal biosorbent properties.
• Mycelium bio-composites (MBs) derived from birch sanding dust (BSD) offer a sustainable material base.
• Combining chitosan with MBs could enhance their environmental remediation capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of chitosan hybridization on the properties of MBs.
• To evaluate the heavy metal adsorption performance of chitosan-hybridized MBs, specifically for Cu(II) and Cd(II).
• To determine the optimal chitosan content for improved adsorption capacity.

Main Methods:

• Chitosan was incorporated into MBs at varying concentrations.
• Characterization included microscopy, porous structure analysis (BET), FTIR, and pH_pzc measurements.
• Adsorption experiments for Cu(II) and Cd(II) were conducted, analyzed using Langmuir and Freundlich models.

Main Results:

• Chitosan hybridization did not affect the antifungal properties of MBs against *Trametes versicolor*.
• Porous structure decreased, but FTIR confirmed successful chitosan incorporation via amino groups.
• Maximum monolayer adsorption capacity for Cu(II) increased from <2 mg/g to 19 mg/g with 15% chitosan, while Cd(II) adsorption showed no significant improvement.

Conclusions:

• Hybridizing MBs with chitosan is an effective strategy to enhance copper(II) adsorption.
• The modified MBs show potential for targeted removal of Cu(II) from contaminated water.
• Further research may explore optimizing for other heavy metals or different composite materials.