Hydrogen ions and organic acids secreted by ectomycorrhizal fungi, Pisolithus sp1, are involved in the efficient removal of hexavalent chromium from waste water

A Cr(VI)-tolerant ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi, Pisolithus sp1, with high Cr tolerance and removal ability was screened out from 6 strains. Pisolithus sp1 is the first reported ECM fungi, which can remove more than 99% Cr(VI) within 12 days. H+ which directly secreted by Pisolithus sp1 mainly involved in the Cr(VI) reduction, oxalic acid and malic acid played an secondary role in this process. The major physiological mechanism of Cr(VI) removal in Pisolithus sp1 is extracellular reduction and cell wall adsorption, which accounting for about 75% and 24% respectively.195