Abstract: This work was initiated to study the biodiversity of filamentous
fungi in drainage water channels and their correlation with heavy metal
pollution. Results showed that all water samples collected from different
drainage channels were contaminated by Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn but in various
and relatively low concentrations. Aspergillus, Penicillium, Mucor, Trichoderma
and Rhizopus were the most prevalent genera. The dominance of these genera
varied in different sites. There was a basic similarity in prevalence and
fluctuation of fungi isolated from both the large and the small channels. Tolerance of A. flavus var. flavus, A. fumigatus, A. terreus var. africanus, A.
niger, A. oryzae, M. racemosus, P. citrinum, R. stolonifer and T. viride to Zn,
Pb and Cd was studied. Results proved that all of these fungi could resist
presence of heavy metal but to various limits. T. viride seemed to be the most
tolerant fungus against Zn and Pb whereas M. racemosus was the most tolerant
one to Cd. This study recommends that application of multi-species system could
play an effective role in biosorption of heavy metals from waste waters rather
than using of individual species.
