Removal of selected pharmaceuticals from wastewater using spawn-based pellets of Pleurotus ostreatus: efficiency and environmental implications
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Pharmaceutical residues are increasingly detected in aquatic environments, and conventional wastewater treatment plants often provide insufficient removal. In this study, we evaluated the capacity of spawn-based pellets of the white-rot fungus Pleurotus ostreatus to remove 11 pharmaceuticals from synthetic wastewater and the secondary effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment plant and conducted a preliminary life cycle assessment (LCA) of the treatment process. RESULT: In synthetic wastewater, living fungal pellets reduced the pharmaceutical concentration by > 30% within 10 min compared to the control. Significant removal of nine compounds, particularly macrolide and sulfonamide antibiotics, was observed. Biosorption contributed to removal but accounted for only a minor fraction. In the secondary effluent, total pharmaceutical concentrations decreased by 51-66% after 2-24 h, with time-dependent removal observed for several compounds. LCA results indicated that fungal treatment combined with incineration of spent biomass had lower environmental impacts than landfilling, largely due to energy recovery. The major contributors to environmental burden were energy demands, particularly due to sterilisation during grain spawn preparation and aeration. CONCLUSION: Use of spawn-based pellets of P. ostreatus is a biologically based treatment technology for pharmaceutical removal. Future work should address transformation products, toxicity, and process optimization to improve sustainability at scale.
Source: Fungal Biology and Biotechnology
Authors: Malin Hultberg, Elena Surra, Oksana Golovko
Language: English
Subfield: Pollution
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,590
Awards: Mapping of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) including microplastic in landfill leachate, their current ecological impact and sustainable technologies for their removal (MECROPLAN), BioReset - Biodiversity restoration and conservation of inland water ecosystems for environmental and human well-being, Mushroom-based processes for increased local production of non-meat protein and enhanced agriculture sustainability (MUSA)
OpenAlex ID: W7212132558