Scientists from the Autonomous University of Tamaulipas (UAT) have discovered a new fungal species, useful in the treatment and remediation process of soil contaminated with sewage or shale gas.
The above is a result of the research projects that are developed in different areas of the state, informed the researcher of the Institute of Applied Ecology (IEA) of the UAT, Sandra Mora Ravelo .
The doctor said that they detected fungal species that had not been reported in the state through a molecular analysis.
"This is very important; once we have these species, what we want is to link them inside the plants, so that they have greater effect and are able to phyto-remediate the sludge, whether it is a purifier or shale gas," she said.
She described that the discovered species are of the genus Trichoderma and Aspergillus . “Two species of Trichoderma and another species of Aspergillus were found in the residual waters of Tamaulipas,” she stated.
She commented that for years the University has been working on projects with the purpose of reducing the environmental impact of different substances, which for some reason, are present in the environment.
The researcher explained that they had conducted studies on contaminated grounds from water treatment plants and shale gas extraction wells located in the center of the state, as well as on collected sludge in the San Marcos River of Ciudad Victoria.
"We also work with the wastewater from the Ciudad Victoria treatment plant, we work with water and with sludge; and another project was made with species from the San Marcos river to work with phytoremediation and plants,” she asseverated.
She explained that "once we have that, we put them in the sludge to remedy soil pollution and once the heavy metals are eliminated, what you do is use the sludge as organic fertilizer and improve eroded grounds".
She highlighted the importance of this work that could be used in Tamaulipas citrus grounds "to minimize the environmental impact by using organic fertilizers, which will come at a low cost without harming the environment,” she said.
Mora Ravelo pointed out that the group also experimented with plants such as huizache and ebony, as an alternative for phytoremediation of sludge, since they are able to absorb heavy metals.
She emphasized that they have detected that huizache and ebony are resistant to pollutants and to heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, and zinc .
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