Fabrication of High Efficiency Mycelium Brick with a Topical Coating of Silver Nanoparticles – A Boon for Sustainable Environment | Original Article

ABSTRACT:

ABSTRACT

Oyster mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus was cultivated using paddy straw as the substrate. The cultivated oyster mushroom was utilized for the preparation of mycelium bricks. Mycelium bricks are organic bricks synthesized from organic wastes and fungal mycelia including cultivated mushrooms and/or mushroom spawn. Mycelia are thin root like fibers from fungi which run underneath the ground. When dried they can be used as a super strong, water, mould and fire resistant building material that can be grown into specific forms thereby reducing the process requirements. Mycelium bricks are non pollutant, eco-friendly and more efficient. Mycelium bricks are novel constructs which alleviates the problems arising during construction such as poor quality raw materials, reduced strength, low water absorption capacity and decreased shelf life due to increase in the internal as well as external cracking. Mycelium bricks helps to overcome the environmental threats posed by the conventional brick making methods. They are a novel class of renewable biomaterial prepared using fungal mycelia and low-value non-food agricultural materials thereby contributing to sustainable agriculture or sustainable environment. Mycelium bricks are also susceptible to microbial contamination. Hence, a topical coating of microbially synthesized silver nanoparticles was applied on the surface of the mycelium bricks in order to enhance its purity. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV visible spectrophotometry, Transmission Electron Microscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and X Ray Diffraction analysis. The compatibility of the synthesized mycelium bricks were determined by carrying out tests such as compressive strength test, water absorption test and drop test. These mycelium bricks are strong, cost effective, eco-friendly, biodegradable and replenishable giving rise to an efficient brick formulation which can serve as a suitable next generation alternative for construction.