Fungi from water, soil and air polluted by the industrial effluents of Manquabad superphosphate factory (Assiut, Egypt)

One hundred and one species in addition to three varieties appertaining to 53 genera of zoosporic (25 species and 15 genera) and terrestrial (76 species + 3 varieties and 38 genera) fungi were isolated during this investigation. The water and submerged mud directly exposed to industrial effluents were the poorest in terrestrial fungi whereas zoosporic fungi were completely missed. These samples were highly acidic, low content of oxygen and relatively high contents of total soluble salts, phosphate, sulphate, calcium and magnesium. Dictyuchus sterilis and Aphanomyces laevis were the most common zoosporic species using baiting technique whereas Aspergillus fumigatus, A. niger, A. flavus, Alternaria alternata, Gibberella fujikuroi and Stachybotrys chartarum were the most prevalent terrestrial fungal species using glucose‐ and cellulose‐CZAPEK's agar media. Tripospermum sp. (aquatic hyphomycetes) was isolated from the phyllosphere of Myriophyllum spicatum and is new record to Egypt. There are some variations concerning the fungal diversity frequencies and populations with regard to the test sources and media used.