The Ability to Heavy Metals Biosorption by EPS Obtained from Cultures of <i>Fusarium culmorum</i> Strains with Different Effects on Cereals

To develop a strategy for sustainable bioremediation of heavy metal-contaminated environments it is needed to understand the mechanisms of remediation using microorganisms. A huge bioremediation potential is possessed by fungi. Fusarium culmorum with their wide range of plant hosts can be the basis for creating sustainable phytoremediation technologies and for creating sustainable agriculture methods. Exopolymers (EPS) produced by F. culmorum can be an excellent metal sorbents and basic factors in the biosorption mechanism. The sorption capacities of Zn, Pb, and Cd by the EPS of a pathogenic DEMFc37 strain and two non-pathogenic strains (PGPF-DEMFc2 and DRMO-DEMFc5) were compared, as well as the effects of these metals on EPS synthesis by the three strains was determined. EPS samples were chemically characterized in regards to sugars, protein and phenolic compounds contents and used to study of metal binding. The concentration of metals bound/adsorbed to EPS was determined by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. The EPS of all the strains bound more than 80% of Zn as well as 64-84% of Cd and 74-79% of Pb, respectively. Thus, it has been clearly shown, that the use of F. culmorum EPS can be the basis for creating sustainable bioremediation, including phytoremediation.