Acta Scientific Microbiology (ASMI) (ISSN: 2581-3226)

Research Article Volume 3 Issue 11

Fungi that Survived in a Contaminated Uranium Mine from Brazil

Ednei Coelho1*, Tatiana Alves Reis1, Rodrigo Cardoso Oliveira2 and Benedito Corrêa1

1Laboratório de Micotoxinas, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
2Laboratorio de Micotoxinas, Departamento de Botánica, Instituto de Biologia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudade de México, México

*Corresponding Author: Ednei Coelho, Laboratório de Micotoxinas, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Received: August 20, 2020; Published: October 06, 2020

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Abstract

  The Osamu Utsumi mine was the first uranium mine in Brazil and ceased activities in 1995. Since then, it has encountered problems in rehabilitating the mine site due to high levels of contamination. Thus, the present investigation aimed to isolate and identify fungi from the Osamu Utsumi mine that may be suitable candidates for the bioremediation process and thus get to know the local mycobiota. The pH of the water samples was 3.3. The mean water activity (aw) of soil samples was 0.98. From this extreme environment, a total of 57 fungal species were isolated and identified, with genus Penicillium being the most abundant. The identification by classical techniques demonstrated that these fungi, despite being of the same species, in many cases, present different morphology. The accurate knowledge of the mycobiota capable of growing and survive on this type of environment, which fungi are dominant, provides essential data to help in futures studies. Effluents from the contaminated uranium mine can pose severe risks to the health of the population, as they can contaminate rivers and lakes close to the mine area, so it is necessary to properly treat the water from the acid mine drainage. In the future, the fungi isolated can potentially be used in the bioremediation process, providing an economical and eco-friendly alternative to conventional treatment.

Keywords: Fungi; Biodiversity; Uranium mine; Penicillium; Waste

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Citation

Citation: Ednei Coelho., et al. “Fungi that Survived in a Contaminated Uranium Mine from Brazil". Acta Scientific Microbiology 3.11 (2020): 03-17.




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