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• Microbial cells are used to remove dye and metal pollutants. While most studies assessed their removal efficacy on individual pollutants in single-pollutant set-up, our study evaluated their removal efficacy from mix solution (metal-metal mixtures, dye-metal mixtures). We also determined if there are differences in the use of live and dead cells for removal of pollutants. In addition, we also investigate the use of exopolymeric substances from bacterial and fungal isolates for metal/dye removal. Our results are published as follows: 

  • https://doi.org/10.1080/01496395.2019.1626422

  • https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-018-3931-x

  • https://doi.org/10.5004/dw.2017.20330

  • https://doi.org/10.5004/dwt.2017.20179

  • https://doi.org/10.1002/clen.201600049

  • https://doi.org/10.1007/s41742-020-00253-6

  • https://www.elsevier.com/books/microorganisms-for-sustainable-environment-and-health/chowdhary/978-0-12-819001-2

  • https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48985-4_10

  • https://doi.org/10.14232/abs.2021.65.221-232

  • https://doi.org/10.1007/s41742-021-00386-2

  • https://doi.org/10.1186/s42834-022-00121-2

  • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116244

  • https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-023-06150-w

  • https://doi.org/10.1080/01496395.2023.2216370

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• White-rot fungi such as Phanerochaete chrysosporium, typically perform dye decolourization. In recent years, non-white rot fungi are also increasingly explored for their dye degrading capacity.  We have discovered several non-white fungi (e.g. Penicillium sp., Trichoderma sp.) with such potential. It also includes lesser known white rot fungi such as Coriolopsis sp. as well as endolichenic fungi. These fungi are also useful in removing metals. Actinobacteria is also another new group of microbes explored for dye and metal bioremediation. Our results are published as follows:

- https://doi.org/10.1007/s41742-019-00171-2

- https://doi.org/10.1080/19443994.2015.1060173

- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ibiod.2015.04.004

- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2014.09.014

- https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-009-0030-6

- https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-10430-6

- https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8669-4_10

- https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5708-3_22

- https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9780429089251/chapters/10.1201/b18218-622

- https://doi.org/10.1080/01496395.2019.1626422

- https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-020-04928-w

- https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-819001-2.00003-6

- https://doi.org/10.1186/s42834-021-00081-z

- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksus.2021.101579

   https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-021-05377-9

   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.115520

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• Our group discovered that endophytes, microorganisms inhabiting host plant tissues, can be used to remove metal and dye pollutants. We also attempted to “train” the fungi to develop “adaptive tolerance” to metals. This is published in the following articles:

  • https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-018-3733-1

  • https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2017.04.004

  • https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-016-2810-6

  • https://doi.org/10.1080/19443994.2015.1013507

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• New breakthroughs are achieved in studies on fungal tolerance to metal pollutants. The use of electron microscopy technology (SEM, TEM) to illustrate the mechanisms of metal removal in metal tolerant fungi, is performed as a move to establish mechanisms of metal removal. This new approach shows that fungi can accumulate and compartmentalize metals. We also characterize the biosorption mechanism via FTIR. Our finding have been published here:

o   https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2018.08.077

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• Biogenic synthesis of nanoparticles is a new area that we are exploring. This approach is sustainable and environmentally-friendly. We use fungal extracts or waste extracts to replace chemical agents to produce metal nanoparticles. These metal nanoparticles are then useful for decolorisation of dyes. Our findings have been published here:

- https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-020-04658-z

- https://doi.org/10.1080/21501203.2021.1948928

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• Fruit-vege waste for bioremediation is another new area that we are interested to tap into for their potential use in metal and dye bioremediation. Our attempts introduce pre-treatment to fruits waste/peels for removal of metals. Our findings have been published here:

  • ​https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-020-04945-9

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• Metagenomics for environmental wastewater studies is also a new approach that we have explored. This approach is to determine the quality of water and we worked on Bandar Sunway River  in 2018. We employed metagenomics to profile the microbial communities in this urban water system and found that urbanisation impacts water quality significantly. Our findings are published here:

  • ​https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-020-02617-3