Uso del hongo Pleurotus ostreatus en sustratos de paja de Triticum y de coronta de Zea mays para biorremediar suelos contaminados con cadmio

Soil constitutes a finite and irrecoverable natural resource and is crucial as a foundation for agricultural practice; Improper handling could cause adverse consequences. The extraction of minerals such as zinc (Zn), lead (Pb), and copper (Cu), the prolonged application of phosphate fertilizers, and the production of batteries and PVC generate considerable emissions of cadmium (Cd). Therefore, the objective of our research was to determine the effectiveness of Pleurotus ostreatus in the bioremediation of soils contaminated with cadmium. The research methodology used was quantitative using an experimental design of soil management with two substrates: Triticum straw and Zea mays crown. Experimental observation and inferential analysis techniques are mentioned, as well as the use of SPSS software to process the data. This research has certain limitations, including the possibility of the substrate being contaminated with environmental fungi that could affect the development of Pleurotus ostreatus. Furthermore, in relation to the results, a removal of 15.60% was observed in treatment B (Zea mays crown), whereas treatment A (Triticum straw) showed a removal of 14.98%. The importance of the substrates used for optimal growth of the fungus is highlighted. On the other hand, it was concluded that the 15-day treatment period was short because the cadmium concentration was not lower than the standards established by the ECA-Soils.