Fungal Bioremediation

A few years ago, EarthFax began evaluating remediation technologies which would set them apart from the competition. This search led to Utah State University, where an innovative bioremediation technology had been under development since the mid 1980s. The technology, which utilizes white-rot fungi to degrade a broad variety of environmental contaminants, had been extensively evaluated in the laboratory and the university desired to find an environmental engineering company that could help take it to the field.

With the hiring of Dr. Richard T. Lamar as Director of Research and Applications, EarthFax moved into the forefront of commercialization of the technology. Dr. Lamar's many years of experience with fungal bioremediation, coupled with the design expertise of EarthFax Engineering, have provided an unprecedented team to advance this technology to the field. By involving EarthFax, those who are interested in fungal bioremediation now no longer need to re-invent the wheel.

The Technology

Fungal-based soil remediation is a bioaugmentation technology that employs the pollutant-degrading abilities of a group of wood-decay fungi known as white-rot fungi (WRF).

The Pollutant Degrading System

WRF have the ability to degrade a wide variety of pollutants, including organic wood preservatives, pesticides, herbicides, explosives, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, chlorinated solvents, cyanide, polymeric dyes, and others.

 

Representative Projects

Field-Scale Degradation of Polychlorinated Dioxins and Furans

EarthFax Engineering, Inc. and its affiliate EarthFax Development Corp. have demonstrated the degradation, in soil, of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins ("PCDDs") and polychlorinated dibenzo furans ("PCDFs") under pilot-scale conditions through the use of white-rot fungi ("WRF").

Full-Scale Degradation of PCP and Lindane

EarthFax Engineering, Inc. and its affiliate EarthFax Development Corp. have demonstrated the degradation of pentachlorophenol ("PCP") and Lindane in soil under full-scale conditions through the use of white-rot fungi ("WRF"). The work was performed at the site of a former wood treatment facility located in North Carolina.

Project Summaries

A spreadsheet summary of the EarthFax experience with fungal bioremediation.

Copyright 2008 EarthFax Engineering, Inc.
Website development by HeyCats! Web Solutions, Inc.