Global environmental pollutants are becoming intense because of the increasing human population, urbanisation, and industrialisation. Human health and the ecosystem are affected by soil and water contamination. Therefore, creating strategies is essential to tackle this persistent issue. In the process, the health and environmental risk associated with these pollutants can be signifi-cantly reduced. Previously, traditional remediation techniques have been employed in combating these environmental pollutants, proving ineffective. Mycoremediation, which uses fungi or their compounds to remediate environmental pollutants, has shown to be a cost-efficient, environmen-tally friendly, and effective method of environmental remediation that includes organic, inorganic, and emerging contaminants (antibiotics, pharmaceuticals). This review provides an overview of various mycoremediation approaches through fungi for biosorption, precipitation, biotransfor-mation, and sequestration of environmental pollutants. In addition, the removal of metals, persis-tent organic pollutants, and other emerging contaminants by mycoremediation was highlighted. For example, fungi such as Pleurotusdryinus, Trameteshirsuta MK640786, and Aspergillusniger shows 91%, 94%, and 98.4% degradation of pollutants ranging from pesticides to azo dyes, respectively. Furthermore, prospects of mycoremediation to remove heavy metals and emerging pollutants from waters and soils were discussed. It was elucidated that fungi have great potential for the mycoremediation of emerging pollutants such as heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pesticides, and weedicides. The findings suggested a knowledge gap exists to enhance the rate of the mycoremediation process. Therefore, a possible framework of mycoremediation was proposed to facilitate this promising technology for rectifying global environmental problems. For mycoremediation procedures to be as effective as possible, further studies are needed on fungal enzymes’ role, activities, and regulation.

During the 2013 and 2014 harvest seasons, field and laboratory experiments were conducted in Nigeria’s inferred agroecological zone. The nutritive value of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) leaves was evaluated by measuring the levels of carbohydrate, protein, fat, ash, dietary fiber, and moisture content in Telfairia occidentalis using the standard analytical methods. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) and repeated four times. Three separate applications of paraquat herbicide (non-selective) at rates of 100, 150, and 200 L ha⁻¹ were applied to the treated plots. Comparative studies of the nutritive value of T. occidentalis were observed in the treatment and control plots. The effects of herbicides showed that the proximate composition of the T. occidentalis leaves of the treated plot was 70% carbohydrate, 29% protein, 1.8% fat, 1.7% dietary fiber, 7.9% ash, and 8.7% moisture. In contrast, the values of the control plots were 6.5% carbohydrate, 1.9% protein, 1.5% fat, 1.2% dietary fiber, 7.0% ash, and 7.9% moisture. The results show that paraquat herbicide spray increased moisture, protein, fat, carbohydrate, ash, and vegetable yields in the treated plot and that T. occidentalis leaves are rich in lipids, fiber, and protein. As a result, the control plot’s fiber, carbohydrate, protein, ash, and moisture content decreased drastically without using paraquat. These results demonstrate that herbicides can affect the nutritional yield of T. occidentalis by eliminating weeds alongside the main crops (T. occidentalis) in the agroecological zone of south-eastern Nigeria. Therefore, if consumed in sufficient quantities, the studied leafy vegetables will significantly contribute to the nutritional needs of human health and the Nigerian population’s food security.

This study focuses on a greener approach to synthesizing activated carbon by carbonizing Platamus occidentalis tree fibers (TFSA) with 98% H₂SO₄ at 100 °C. The resulted TFSA was employed as an effective adsorbent for copper ions in aqueous media, yielding copper decorated TFSA (Cu@TFSA). The successful adsorption of copper onto the TFSA was proven through extensive characterization techniques. Herein, the TEM and XPS showed that copper nanoparticles were formed in situ on the TFSA surface, without the use of additional reducing and stabilizing agents nor thermal treatment. The surface areas of TFSA and Cu@TFSA were 0.0150 m²/g and 0.3109 m²/g, respectively. Applying the Cu@TFSA as an antimicrobial agent against Escherica coli ( E. coli) and Salmonella resulted in the potential mitigation of complex secondary pollutants from water and wastewater. The Cu@TFSA exhibited outstanding antimicrobial activity against E. coli and Salmonella in both synthetic and raw water samples. This demonstrated a complete growth inhibition observed within 120 min of exposure. The bacteria inactivation took place through the destruction of the bacteria cell wall and was confirmed by the AFM analysis technique. Cu@TFSA has the potential to be used in the water and wastewater treatment sector as antimicrobial agents.