Agaricus bisporus Mycofiltration

Overview

Objectives/Goals The objective is to determine if water filtered through a Brita carbon-based water bottle filter is more effective at lowering levels of bromine and chlorine and maintaining pH than an Agaricus bisporus# mycelia filter. Methods/Materials The Agaricus bisporus mycelia filter was designed from a spice bag, half the top of an edible basidiomycete mushroom, and some large pieces of mulch. The mulch was tested alone as a control creating no affect on the water. Tap water was tested then filtered through the Brita water bottle carbon-based filter as well as the Agaricus bisporus mycelia filter. Each trial was tested with fresh, unfiltered water at the same temperature from the same faucet. Results The Agaricus bisporus filter lowered the levels of chlorine and bromine, and it maintained a more stable pH as compared to the Brita carbon-based water bottle filter. The Agaricus bisporus mycelia filtered water created safer water for human consumption. Conclusions/Discussion Questions are revealed about the design of water filters and if nature#s design of the Agaricus bisporus mycelium could improve water filters. Different categories of contaminants that affect humans when consumed could be measured for in the water going through each filter. Other types of Agaricus bisporus mycelia could be tested to measure the levels from the new mycelia. Engineers could base their new designs of water filters on the mycelia and recognize which parts extract the certain toxins that are unhealthy for human consumption. Overall, the data suggests that the Agaricus bisporus mycelia filter is a better choice than the Brita carbon-based water bottle filter, strictly based on levels of pH, chlorine, and bromine in the water.

Competition history

• CSEF 2014 Environmental Science · Entry S1114

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

Related projects

Closest projects by meaning, across every fair and year in the corpus.

Browse more like this

• All Environmental Analysis projects
• CSEF Environmental Analysis projects
• Every CSEF 2014 project