Bioremediation of petrochemical-containing substrates using fungi

A method of bioremediating solid petrochemical-containing scrap material, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. breaking down the scrap material into discrete pieces;
• b. mixing the broken-down scrap pieces with a growth medium selected from the group consisting of sawdust, paper, hemp, straw, gypsum and cardboard to form a scrap-growth medium mixture;
• c. sterilizing the scrap-growth medium mixture;
• d. homogenizing the scrap-growth medium mixture;
• e. hydrating the scrap-growth medium mixture to a moisture content of 50-75%;
• f. inoculating the hydrated scrap-growth medium mixture with a saprotrophic fungus species selected from the group consisting of Agrocybe spp., Amanita spp., Armillaria spp., Auricularia spp., Cerrena spp., Coprinus spp., Cyathus spp., Daedalea spp., Daedaleopsis spp., Daldinia spp., Echinodontium spp., Exidia spp., Fistulina spp., Flammulina spp., Fomes spp., Grifola spp., Hericium spp., Heterobasidion spp., Hypsizygus spp., Inonotus spp., Lenzites spp., Marasmius spp., Phanerochaete spp., Pisolithus spp., Sparassis spp., Strobilomyces spp., Xylaria spp., Pleurotus spp., Ganoderma spp., Trametes spp. Schizophyllum spp., Irpex spp. and Lentinula spp;
• g. exposing the hydrated scrap-growth medium-fungus mixture to air;
• and
• h. incubating the scrap-growth medium-water-fungus mixture.

A bioremediating composition, comprising:

• a. A plurality of discrete pieces of solid petrochemical-containing scrap material;
• b. growth medium selected from the group consisting of sawdust, paper, hemp, straw, gypsum and cardboard;
• c. air;
• d. water;
• e. a sterilizing agent;
• and
• f. a fungal culture selected from the group consisting of:
• Agrocybe spp., Amanita spp., Armillaria spp., Auricularia spp., Cerrena spp., Coprinus spp., Cyathus spp., Daedalea spp., Daedaleopsis spp., Daldinia spp., Echinodontium spp., Exidia spp., Fistulina spp., Flammulina spp., Fomes spp., Grifola spp., Hericium spp., Heterobasidion spp., Hypsizygus spp., Inonotus spp., Lenzites spp., Marasmius spp., Phanerochaete spp., Pisolithus spp., Sparassis spp., Strobilomyces spp., Xylaria spp., Pleurotus spp., Ganoderma spp., Trametes spp. Schizophyllum spp., Irpex spp. and Lentinula spp.