Heterotrophic leaching of solid waste

Many industrial solid wastes are very stable why they require extensive treatment before valuable elements are released and can be. In this project we explore the capacity of fungi to release the metals. Since the materials are high in toxic metals and pH  from 3 to 13.5 it is essential to find organisms that tolerate these conditions. This heterotrophic approach has proven quite efficient and once the appropriate combination of fungi has been identified only a suitable carbon source is required. For instance, a high vanadium content in some steel slag motivates recycling but the cost for chemical treatment is higher than to use new vanadium. However, a suitable mix of fungi requires only leftovers from forestry to release some 10% every third month.