Investigation on reducing chromium quantity in chromium containing wastes of leather industry using oyster mushroom (Pleurotus spp.)

Chromed wastes in the leather industry are one of the environmental pollutants for the leather industry. Although their treatment is tried to be carried out both chemically and biologically in trade, the success is not fully achieved and chromium is present in a high proportion of chromium shaved wastes thrown into the environment. This problem, which is tried to be ignored by being buried in this way, may cause serious environmental problems in the future. The ability of white rot fungi to biodegradation toxic substances has been established in many studies and there are many sources in the literature. In this research, studies have been carried out based on the development of Pleurotus ostreatus (Oyster mushroom) with a production system in which uptakes in chromium from wet blue shaved wastes are rendered harmless and the appropriate values are automatically adjusted for the development of these fungi. The chromium content of the substances after the growth of the fungus on chromium wastes was investigated by mixing 0% (Control group), 0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2% chromium shaved wastes in the compost specially prepared for the development of the oyster mushroom. When the results were examined, the chromium content in the compost before Pleurotus ostreatus inoculation (mean media) was 4.33 mg/kg in the control group, 530 mg/kg in the 0.5% dose, 724 mg/kg in the 1% dose, 6374 mg/kg in the 1.5% dose and 2% the dose was found to be 11690 mg/kg; after Pleurotus ostreatus inoculation (mean media) was 0 mg/kg in the control group, 177.8 mg/kg in the 0.5% dose, 205.6 mg/kg in the 1% dose, 482.8 mg/kg in the 1.5% dose and 2% the dose was found to be 951.1 mg/kg; the chromium content of the fungus was 0,122 mg/kg in the control group, 0.372 mg/kg in the 0.5% dose, 0.361 mg/kg in the 1% dose, 0.568 mg/kg in the 1.5% dose and 2% the dose was found to be 0.422 mg/kg.