Design and Development of Myco-Mediated Bioremediation System for the Treatment of Runoff and Grey Water
摘要
This study evaluated the efficiency of Pleurotus-based mycofilters for improving grey water and runoff water quality for potential irrigation reuse. Five Pleurotus species, including P. pulmonarius, P. ostreatus, P. citrinopileatus, P. ostreatus var. florida, and P. djamor, were evaluated for the potential purification of grey and runoff water. Among the tested treatments, wheat straw–based filters colonized with Pleurotus ostreatus var. florida (PFWS) consistently performed best. PFWS achieved the highest reduction in pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), and heavy metals, with maximum removal of 48.8% copper and 47.6% iron from treated water. UV–VIS absorbance and odour analysis confirmed significantly lower impurity levels and reduced foul odour compared to untreated water. PFWS filtration also decreased bacterial, fungal, and coliform populations and delayed insect larval development, indicating improved biological safety. The inline PFWS filter demonstrated rapid improvement in water quality within 30 min, confirming its proof-of-concept feasibility, although long-term performance, clogging behaviour, and field-scale validation remain to be evaluated. The observed rapid improvement in physicochemical parameters confirms the technical feasibility and functional success of the PFWS inline filter as a prototype system.