Eradication of heavy metal pollution has become the prime priority over the conservation of water resources in the upcoming era. Herein, the study involved the halophilic fungal melanin from Curvularia lunata showed a promising biosorbent for the removal of toxic heavy metals which shows eco-friendly, cost-effective, high stability, and adsorbent efficiency. Polyurethane blended with fungal melanin polymers, makes polymeric nanofibrous membranes through electrospinning techniques. BET isotherms revealed the raw fungal melanin holds a surface area of 3.54 m2/g exhibiting type IV isotherms. BJH results in a total pore volume of 5.79 cc/g with a pore diameter of 6.54 ± 1 nm for pores smaller than 4544.8 Å. Exhibits Eumelanin properties were characterized by FE - SEM and FTIR functional elements. ICPMS confirmed the metal adsorption proficiency on both raw and melanized membranes before and after treatments. Over 17 heavy metals, Ni2+ were adsorbed with 100% efficiency by raw melanin alone with 42.48 µg/L of Ni2+ concentration in the water sample, whereas, Cu2+, Zn2+, Co2+, Cr2+, Pb2+, Mn2+, Al3+, Mo6+, Sb3+, Ba2+, Fe2+, and Mg2+ stands next with 99%. In this study, gentle/simple application of raw fungal melanin (without PUR tailored) can detoxify the maximum concentration of heavy metals present in the water bodies which are further used for irrigation and even drinking purposes. This mycoremediation approach can be easily adapted to industrial production than other high-performance membrane materials with minimal process modification, making it a promising strategy for improving the adsorption properties used in various applications after still furthermore investigation.
Keywords: BET; Curvularia lunata; Ni (II); halophilic fungi; heavy metal adsorption; melanin polymer; melanised membrane (PUR/Melanin).