Microplastics removal in the aquatic environment via fungal pelletization

Microplastics (MPs) are gaining increasing attention in recent years due to their potential harm to the entire ecosystem. Recent studies on MPs have mostly focused on millimeter (mm) to micrometer (μm) grade, but their hazardous level increases with the decrease in size. This study provided new findings on the removal of Polystyrene (PS) and Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) ranging from 200 nm to 5 μm in the aquatic environment using isolated fungal strains. Three isolates were chosen via screening of a library of 230 fungal isolates (fast growth, dye degradation, spore production, and pellet formation). Aspergillus niger could completely remove 200 nm PS and 5 μm PMMA at 0.005 % and 0.01 % solid loading. Bjerkandera adusta and Phanerochaete chrysosporium showed assimilation potential on 500 nm PS and 5 μm PMMA, respectively. These findings can potentially be used in wastewater treatment plants to further remove MPs and minimize plastics pollution in natural waters.