Mycologist Paul Stamets on the BP Spill (Using fungus to Clean it up!)

To many here on ATS Paul Stamets needs no introduction. For those of you who don't know who he is here is a bio to familiarize yourself.

Stamets is on the editorial board of The International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, and is an advisor to the Program for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona Medical School, Tucson, Arizona. He is active in researching the medicinal properties of mushrooms,[2] and is involved in two NIH-funded clinical studies on cancer and HIV treatments using mushrooms as adjunct therapies. Having filed numerous patents on the antiviral, pesticidal, and remediative properties of mushroom mycelia, his work has been called pioneering and visionary.[3] A strong advocate of preserving biodiversity, Stamets supports research into the role of mushrooms for ecological restoration.

The author of numerous books and papers on the subject of mushroom identification and cultivation, Stamets has discovered four new species of mushrooms. He is an advocate of the permaculture system of growing, and considers fungiculture a valuable but underutilized aspect of permaculture. He is also a leading researcher into the use of mushrooms in bioremediation, processes he terms mycoremediation and mycofiltration.

Stamets was the recipient of the "Bioneers Award" from The Collective Heritage Institute in 1998,[4] as well as the "Founder of a New Northwest Award" from the Pacific Rim Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils in 1999. He was also named one of Utne Reader's "50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Your World" in their November–December 2008 issue. In February 2010, Paul received the President's Award from the Society for Ecological Restoration: Northwest Chapter, in recognition of his contributions to Ecological Restoration. His work was featured in the documentary film The 11th Hour.[5]

Source

He was responsible for the lecture series entitled 6 ways mushrooms can change the world. He notes many uses but one of which is on topic and very interesting. You may also enjoy his works on Bioremediation about which I also posted a video.

He conducts an experiment using fungus on oil! IT WORKED! Check out the video and then read the PDF re: The BP Oil Spill.



This one is Specifically on Oil



Link to PDF re - The BP Oil Spill

[edit on 21-6-2010 by DaMod]

[edit on 21-6-2010 by DaMod]

So does this mean people could just start releasing this into oil infected areas and solve the problem themselves locally?

I did a thread on this a few weeks ago...and received very little attention. Glad to see this come back around again, as I believe in his work!

Here's my thread, for your perusal:

www.abovetopsecret.com...

The problem is that this only address oil that has come on land - which shouldn't even be GETTING to the land.

I would like to see some examples of using of fungus in-situ or in sea water.

Originally posted by Aeons
The problem is that this only address oil that has come on land - which shouldn't even be GETTING to the land.

well, that is exactly what this thread is about....dealing with the oil that has made landfall. Sure, it sucks that oil is getting into the wetland marshes, but THAT problem must be addressed as well.

reply to post by Aggie Man


Ah - thank you for the clarification on this being for land clean-up solely.

reply to post by Aggie Man


Actually (and excuse me if I'm mistaken) I think he mentions somewhere in his "6 ways" vid that this works in water too. I'm not sure as I can't find it right now being that I'm working. I'm pretty sure he says it though.

If not, I think there was some work done with oil absorbing floating pads that the fungus could be used on. Hold on, I will find that one.

Does it work in salt water? or just fresh water?

Originally posted by Aggie Man

Originally posted by Aeons
The problem is that this only address oil that has come on land - which shouldn't even be GETTING to the land.

well, that is exactly what this thread is about....dealing with the oil that has made landfall. Sure, it sucks that oil is getting into the wetland marshes, but THAT problem must be addressed as well.

Actually I found something on his site.

Here is a quote

What we know:

1) [Update] We now know that one of our strains of Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) is tolerant to saltwater exposure. The mycelium fully colonizes salt water soaked straw. Salinity levels will be disclosed in the near future.

Source: Paul's Website

It seems as if the information in the PDF is available here.

If you watch the "6 ways mushrooms can save the world vid" you will see these mushrooms turn a pile of crude into a place that plants can grow and life can exist.

[edit on 21-6-2010 by DaMod]

I use fungus endo/eco mycorrhizae for gardening so I'm not surprised by this.

Originally posted by Aeons
Does it work in salt water? or just fresh water?

What we know:
1) [Update] We now know that one of our strains of Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) is tolerant to saltwater exposure. The mycelium fully colonizes salt water soaked straw. Salinity levels will be disclosed in the near future.
2) Straw that has been inoculated with Oyster mushroom mycelium floats, making it a potential candidate for use in water-borne mycelial containment/filtration systems.
3) More than 120 novel enzymes have been identified from mushroom-forming fungi.
4) Various enzymes breakdown a wide assortment of hydrocarbon toxins.
5) My work with Battelle Laboratories, in collaboration with their scientists, resulted in TAH’s (Total Aromatic Hydrocarbons) in diesel contaminated soil to be reduced from 10,000 ppm to < 200 ppm in 16 weeks from a 25% inoculation rate of oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) mycelium, allowing the remediated soil to be approved for use as landscaping soil along highways. (Thomas et al., 1999)
6) Oil contains a wide variety of toxins, many of which are carcinogens.
7) Mycelium more readily degrades lower molecular weight hydrocarbons (3,4,5 ring) than heavier weight hydrocarbons. However, the heavier weight hydrocarbons are reduced via mycelial enzymes into lighter weight hydrocarbons, allowing for a staged reduction with subsequent mycelial treatments.
8) Aged mycelium from oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) mixed in with ‘compost’ made from woodchips and yard waste (50:50 by volume) resulted in far better degradation of hydrocarbons than oyster mushroom mycelium or compost alone.
9) Oyster mycelium does not degrade keratin-based hair as it produces little or no keratinases, whereas other mold fungi such as Chaetomium species (which include some high temperature-tolerant leaf mold fungi) produce keratinases.
10) Worms die when put into contact with high concentrations of hydrocarbon saturated soils, but live after mycelial treatments reduce the toxins below the lethal thresholds.
11) Spring inoculations work better than fall inoculations as the mycelium has more time to grow-out. Bioregional specificities must be carefully considered.
12) Amplifying native mushroom species in the bioregion impacted by toxic spills work better than non-native species.
13) More funding is needed to better understand and implement mycoremediation technologies.
14) Oil spills will occur in the future—we need to be ready for them!

SOURCE: www.fungi.com...

It appears that Pleurotus ostreatus is saltwater tolerant. It appears that straw that has been inoculated with Pleurotus ostreatus may be a candidate, but has yet to be proven.

reply to post by Aggie Man


It's definitely a start. That is for sure.

Couldn't be any less effective than what we have already tried and we already know it will work where oil has landfall.

[edit on 21-6-2010 by DaMod]

Straw-"Mats" innoculated with oyster mushrooms laid out in the gulf.

I like it.

I wonder if these oyster mushrooms are still edible? Being that they break down the hydrocarbons, I would think, but they would probably need to be tested to make sure all hydrocarbons are broken down.

Just a thought as the fisherman in the area could become mushroom farmers until they got their gulf back.

Big flag. I think outside-the-box solutions are going to be required for this situation. Too much secrecy, too much rejection of help, too few answers and too little action. Contingency plans for worst case scenarios should be actively investigated.

Originally posted by Aeons

Ah - thank you for the clarification on this being for land clean-up solely.

So, all we need now is a way to get the oil on land so we can begin myco-remediation. Where are the weather gods? Do you suppose old Zeus HAARP will blow one inland soon?

Problem-reaction-solution.

See, it was all figured out before the "problem" ever occurred.




Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World (2005)

(from the jacket cover: )

"What Stamets has discovered is that we can capitalize on mycelium's digestive power and target it to decompose toxic wastes and pollutants, catch and reduce silt from streambeds and pathogens from agricultural watersheds, control insect populations, and generally enhance the health of our forests..."


Wow. One man has discovered all this?


[edit on 22-6-2010 by Alethea]

[edit on 22-6-2010 by Alethea]

reply to post by Alethea


Actually yes, he did discover a lot. He is a leader in his field to say the least.

So far we know we can use this for beach cleanup and land cleanup where a hurricane to occur.

One species is tolerant to salt water and although it has yet to be proven, oyster mushroom infused stray might just be the ticket.

No need to poke fun..

reply to post by Alethea


Oh yeah btw, you can make as much fun as you want, but you are going to have a really difficult time discrediting Paul.... A real hard time...

Originally posted by DaMod


Actually yes, he did discover a lot. He is a leader in his field to say the least.

No need to poke fun..

Not poking fun...just seems quite incredible that one man alone could accomplish all this work single-handedly---the volumes of books, the spore storage and cataloging facility, the marketing and sales of cultures, the research, the field trips, etc. It all seems collectively like more than one lifetime of work.

Originally posted by DaMod


Oh yeah btw, you can make as much fun as you want, but you are going to have a really difficult time discrediting Paul.... A real hard time...

You are making a lot of assumptions. I have said nothing to discredit him. I have been familiar with his inspiring work for several years now. His research and applied knowledge is fascinating. He is one of the most luminious minds on the planet.