Date of Award:

12-2026

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Biological Engineering

Committee Chair(s)

Erika Espinosa-Ortiz

Committee

Erika Espinosa-Ortiz

Committee

Ronald Sims

Committee

Srishti Banerji

Committee

Robin Gerlach

Abstract

Heavy metals are pollutants of increasing concern as continued industrialization and urbanization have escalated the discharge of these toxins into aquatic environments. Cadmium (Cd) is a metal of particular concern due to its acute toxicity and high mobility in aquatic ecosystems. Given these characteristics Cd poses significant health risks to both humans and aquatic ecosystems. The continued development of sustainable, low-cost remediation technology is imperative to manage metal pollution.

This research explores the use of fungal-based remediation systems to remove Cd from contaminated water. Living biomass of the filamentous fungus Fusarium venenatum was evaluated as a biosorbent material for Cd removal from aqueous solutions across a range of environmental conditions, including varying pH, ionic strength, and the presence of competing metals. Desorption studies were also conducted to evaluate the binding strength of Cd to the fungal biomass and assess the retention of removed Cd. This work demonstrates the potential of F. venenatum as a tool for Cd remediation in aqueous systems.

Building on these findings, fungal-algal-based biofilms were integrated into permeable materials to create Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) with the function of Cd removal. Among microbes tested, the fungus F. venenatum and the alga Chlorella vulgaris were identified as compatible microbial partners with the ability to grow alongside each other on permeable materials. Mixed fungal-algal cultures exhibited enhanced visual attachment and biofilm cohesion on permeable materials including pervious concrete and hydrogels. Biofilm-integrated hydrogels demonstrated measurable Cd removal capacity, with mixed-species systems outperforming monocultures in Cd removal capacity and reproducibility. This work informs the future development of ELMs for heavy metal remediation by establishing workflows for integrating biofilms into permeable materials and providing insight into how mixed microbial communities can enhance stability and performance of ELMs for heavy metal remediation.

In summary, this research demonstrates the potential of fungal-based systems for Cd remediation by combining mechanistic investigations of fungal biosorption with the development of fungal-based ELMs. Together these findings advance the understanding of microbially mediated metal sequestration and provide a foundation for designing biologically functionalized treatment systems.

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