Carbendazim Mycoremediation: a Combined Approach to Restoring Soil

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the application of four bioremediation strategies: mycoaugmentation with Actinomucor elegans LBM 239; biostimulation with carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus sources; combined mycoaugmentation and biostimulation; and natural attenuation could improve the quality of carbendazim-contaminated soil. The experiments were done in microcosm soil and remediation effectiveness was assessed based on pollutant content, soil characteristics, and ecotoxicological tests. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of A. elegans LBM 239 on plant growth promotion. Results revealed that mycoaugmentation, biostimulation, and combined strategy (mycoaugmentation + biostimulation) significantly decreased the concentration of carbendazim, with removal percentages higher than 90%, with a significant toxicity reduction at 15 days. Mycoaugmentation and biostimulation combined strategy improved the content of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in the soil. A. elegans did not demonstrate plant growth-promoting properties and no signs and symptoms of the disease were observed on inoculated tomato seedlings. Finally, the principal component analysis revealed that the combined treatment of mycoaugmentation and biostimulation constitute the most efficient bioremediation alternative to restore carbendazim-contaminated soils.