Faculty of Applied Sciences

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Diversity, stability and applications of mycopigments
(Elsevier BV, 2023-10) Abel, Grace; Amobonye, Ayodeji; Bhagwat, Prashant; Pillai, Santhosh
The role of fungi as major pigment producers in the environments has endeared their application as sources of industrially important pigments. Compared to synthetic colorants, fungal pigments are rapidly becoming the preferred choice due to their biodegradability, eco-friendliness and versatility. Besides their uses as colourants, their functions as preservatives and/or bioactive agents have promoted their potential across numerous industries. In the past, more focus has been placed on enhancing the production levels of fungal pigments with little attention to the stabilization of the pigments and other important areas of concern. To this end, this review draws attention to the diverse classes of fungal pigments with emphasis on their existing and future applications, especially in the food and textile industries. Emphasis was also placed on the factors affecting fungal pigment stability and the techniques to efficiently circumvent the instability. Finally, the application of emerging technologies such as copigmentation, microencapsulation, metabolic engineering, and chemo-informatics tools in enhancing the mycopigment industry are highlighted.
Fungal mycelium as leather alternative : a sustainable biogenic material for the fashion industry
(Elsevier BV, 2023-09) Amobonye, Ayodeji; Lalung, Japareng; Awasthi, Mukesh Kumar; Pillai, Santhosh
The global leather industry has been at the receiving end of various environmental and ethical backlash as it mainly relies on animal agriculture which contributes to deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and animal welfare concerns. In addition, the processing of animal hides into leather generates a huge amount of toxic chemicals, which ultimately get released into the environment. Thus, growing concern for environmental sustainability has led to the exploration of alternative materials to conventional animal- based leather. In this regard, the application of fungal leather alternatives in material technology is gaining traction because of its high biodegradability, biocompatibility, renewability, as well as its affordable and carbon-neutral growth processes. Fungal leather alternatives have been found to possess significant mechanical and physical properties, thanks to the interwoven hyphal network of the fungal mycelium, as well as antimicrobial activities which have been ascribed to their bioactive metabolites. Various fungal species, including those from the Agaricus, Fomes, Ganoderma, Phellinus, and Pleutorus genera, are currently being investigated for their potential in this area. This review, therefore, attempts to gain insights into the recent advances in scientific research and real-world applications of fungal-derived leather like materials. It makes a compelling case for this sustainable alternative and discusses the morphology-property relationship of the fungal mycelium driving this innovation. Additionally, the current processing methods and major players in the fungal leather substitute industry are presented. The paper also brings attention to the challenges facing the full deployment of fungal leather substitutes and proposes solutions with the aim of encouraging further research and resource mobilization for the acceptance of this renewable leather substitute.
The potential of fungi in the bioremediation of pharmaceutically active compounds : a comprehensive review
(Frontiers Media SA, 2023-07-12) Amobonye, Ayodeji; Aruwa, Christiana E.; Aransiola, Sesan; Omame, John; Alabi, Toyin D.; Lalung, Japareng
The ability of fungal species to produce a wide range of enzymes and metabolites, which act synergistically, makes them valuable tools in bioremediation, especially in the removal of pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) from contaminated environments. PhACs are compounds that have been specifically designed to treat or alter animal physiological conditions and they include antibiotics, analgesics, hormones, and steroids. Their detrimental effects on all life forms have become a source of public outcry due their persistent nature and their uncontrolled discharge into various wastewater effluents, hospital effluents, and surface waters. Studies have however shown that fungi have the necessary metabolic machinery to degrade PhACs in complex environments, such as soil and water, in addition they can be utilized in bioreactor systems to remove PhACs. In this regard, this review highlights fungal species with immense potential in the biodegradation of PhACs, their enzymatic arsenal as well as the probable mechanism of biodegradation. The challenges encumbering the real-time application of this promising bioremediative approach are also highlighted, as well as the areas of improvement and future perspective. In all, this paper points researchers to the fact that fungal bioremediation is a promising strategy for addressing the growing issue of pharmaceutical contamination in the environment and can help to mitigate the negative impacts on ecosystems and human health.