Fungi in bioremediation of soil organic pollutants

Abstract Fungi by their robust and diverse metabolic capacities are found to effectively remove the toxic and recalcitrant products like pharmaceutical wastes, heavy metals, poly aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons, mineral oils and pesticides, now being excessively accumulated in the soil, from the environment, and play a significant role in bioremediation. This chapter widely focuses on the different types of bioremediating fungal groups with the role of their intracellular enzymes (viz. glutathione transferase, cytochrome P450 monooxygenase) and extracellular enzymes (viz. Laccase, catalases) etc. The physico-chemical modes and the parameters affecting the detoxification are vividly examined. The overview altogether cumulates the intricate bioaugmentation strategies and laboratory level microcosm studies that evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of the myco-remediation process and application of fungi in in-situ and ex-situ bioremediation and analysis of their future prospects.