Filamentous fungi isolated from Brazilian semiarid tolerant to metallurgical industry wastes: an ex situ evaluation

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of metallurgical industry wastes on the semiarid soil microbiota using physico-chemical and microbiological parameters, highlighting the filamentous fungi assembly. Soil samples were collected in an area of industrial waste deposit contaminated with lead and mixed with natural soil (control soil) in seven different concentrations (0, 7.5, 15, 30, 45, 60 and 100%). The results showed alterations on the physico-chemical properties of the soil treated with industrial wastes, with a gradate increase of the soil's pH (5.6-10.4) and electrical conductivity (0.3-14.7 dS m-1) and also reduction of organic matter (7.0-1.8%). The use of microbiological parameters (fungal richness and diversity, CO2 emission, and the carbon on the microbial biomass) enabled the identification of alterations on the microbial community due to stress caused by the exposure to industrial wastes, despite the presence of Thielavia, Chaetomium and Aspergillus tolerant to high concentrations of the scoria. Therefore, these filamentous fungi could be used in biomonitoring and bioremediation studies in the soils contaminated by industrial wastes.