Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

ISOLATION OF HEAVY METAL (W, HG, PB, SN, CU, FE) TOLERANT FUNGI FROM DIFFERENT POLLUTED SITES OF PUNE AND KARAD REGION IN MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

Shikha Jaiprakash Dixit and Kiran Singh

Abstract

The environmental risk of heavy metal pollution is pronounced in soil adjacent to large industrial complexes and spreading throughout the world along with industrial process. Microbial technologies may provide an alternative to conventional method of metal removal and recovery. The present study deals with isolation and characterization of heavy metal tolerant fungi from polluted sites of Pune and Karad, Maharashtra, India. These areas are known to be polluted with waste from electronic manufacturing industry, Pharmaceutical industry, Hospitals and Residential area. Five fungal isolates were found tolerant for the different concentrations of heavy metals (W, Hg, Pb, Sn, Cu and Fe). On the basis of morphological and Microscopic characteristics fungal isolates were identified as Aspergiilus niger, Penicillium sp., Aspergiilus flavus, Aspergiilus sydowi and Mucor globossus. The identified heavy metal tolerant fungi could be useful for bioremediation of heavy metal contaminated waste