Fir bark modified by Phanerodontia chrysosporium: A low-cost amendment for cd-contaminated water and agricultural soil

In this study, a modified fir barks (MFB) was prepared by mixing fir barks (FB) and white-rot fungi (Phanerodontia chrysosporium) under aerobic fermentation. The potential of MFB for Cd2+ adsorption was investigated by batch experiments combined with kinetic, isotherm, and thermodynamics analyses. The results revealed that the modification greatly increased the porous structures on the surfaces of fir barks and the surface area of MFB was much higher than that of FB. As a result, the adsorption capacity of Cd2+ on MFB (17.4 mg g−1) was more than two times higher than that on FB (7.2 mg g−1), and the adsorption of Cd2+ on MFB was controlled by physisorption and chemisorption. The immobilization of Cd by MFB in a contaminated agricultural soil was also investigated. The effect of MFB on the bioavailability of Cd was investigated using a leaching test (the European standard EN 12457–2) combined with a typical sequential extraction procedure (the community bureau of reference, BCR). The experimental results showed that the Cd leachability was reduced by 71% when the added MFB dosage was 30 mg g−1. Besides, the MFB amendment could transform Cd from unstable geochemical fractions into more stable fractions. In total, the MFB, as a chemical-free and eco-friendly material, could be potentially employed for in-situ remediation of Cd-contaminated agricultural soils. •Modified fir barks (MFB) was prepared by mixing fir barks (FB) with P. chrysosporium under aerobic fermentation.•The adsorption capacity of Cd2+ on MFB (17.4 mg g−1) was much higher than that on FB (7.2 mg g−1).•The MFB amendment reduced Cd leachability and transformed Cd from unstable geochemical fractions into more stable fractions.