The bioprocessing and biorecovery of industrial and strategic metals and metalloids through the application of microbial systems has received increasing attention in last years. Some metals and metalloids are of strategic importance for new environmental high-tech applications and clean and efficient energy production. However, concern on metal criticality, consisting of supply risk, environmental implications, and vulnerability to supply restriction is increasing. Antimony (Sb) is one of the most important metalloid among e-tech elements and critical elements for industrial importance, but also internationally considered as a priority pollutant. The Sb spread in environmental matrices is increasing concern about its toxic effects for humans and ecosystems, including acute and chronic poisoning and bioaccumulation in crops and food chains. In order to cope with Sb contamination and criticality, biorecovery using microorganisms can provide promising technological applications and in particular, mining fungi are promising bioresources. Investigations on soil saprotrophic fungi on Sb tolerance, bioaccumulation and biovolatilization are few and further researches are needed to deepen Sb-fungal relationships. In particular investigations on indigenous fungi isolated from areas with high concentrations of Sb are particularly important, as specific strains, better adapted to site-specific conditions, can be the best candidate to maximize Sb biorecovery and bioremediation. The aim of the project is to investigate the interactions between Sb and some native saprotrophic fungal strains isolated from natural soils with naturally-high concentrations of potentially toxic elements, including Sb. Sb tolerance and uptake will be investigated in different cultural conditions to develop a feasible and sustainable strategy for Sb biorecovery and bioremediation.
The innovative nature of this project is to investigate relationship between Sb and native saprotrophic fungal strains from soils with naturally-high concentrations of Sb, integrating biological and chemical approaches to better understand the roles of fungi in Sb biorecovery. Fungi play several ecological roles in ecosystems, contributing in provisioning, regulating and supporting ecosystems services for living organisms and the present and future generations. Fungi as bioresources can provide solutions to criticality of elements, such as Sb, contributing to reduce supply risk, environmental impacts, and vulnerability to supply restriction. Inspired by nature-based solutions, the proposed investigation will be aimed to find sustainable, feasible, cost-effective applications to cope with Sb anthropogenic contamination of soils and waters, reduce health risks for humans, maintain ecosystem functionality, and recovery a metalloid of industrial and strategic importance.