Evaluation of aluminium mobilization from its soil mineral pools by simultaneous effect of Aspergillus strains' acidic and chelating exometabolites

This contribution investigates aluminium mobilization from main aluminium pools in soils, phyllosilicates and oxyhydroxides, by acidic and chelating exometabolites of common soil fungi Aspergillus niger and A. clavatus. Their exometabolites' acidity as well as their ability to extract aluminium from solid mineral phases differed significantly during incubation. While both strains are able to mobilize aluminium from boehmite and aluminium oxide mixture to some extent, A. clavatus struggles to mobilize any aluminium from gibbsite. Furthermore, passive and active fungal uptake of aluminium enhances its mobilization from boehmite, especially in later growth phase, with strong linear correlation between aluminium bioaccumulated fraction and increasing culture medium pH. We also provide data on concentrations of oxalate, citrate and gluconate which are synthesized by A. niger and contribute to aluminium mobilization. Compared to boehmite-free treatment, fungus reduces oxalate production significantly in boehmite presence to restrict aluminium extraction efficiency. However, in presence of high phyllosilicates' dosages, aluminium is released to an extent that acetate and citrate is overproduced by fungus. Our results also highlight fungal capability to significantly enhance iron and silicon mobility as these elements are extracted from mineral lattice of phyllosilicates by fungal exometabolites alongside aluminium. Natural aluminium bearing minerals succumb to bio-weathering driven by acidic and chelating properties of exometabolites produced by filamentous fungi. This natural process enhances aluminium mobility and bioavailability. [Display omitted] •Boehmite, gibbsite and bentonite succumb to bioweathering in presence of fungi.•Aspergillus niger extracted Al from all applied aluminium bearing mineral phases.•A. clavatus was not able to mobilize any Al from gibbsite.•Besides Al, also Si and Fe were extracted from bentonite in fungal presence.•Extent of Al bioextraction affects produced organic acids' concentration.