Sains Malaysiana 54(7)(2025): 1687-1699

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2025-5407-04

 

Dark Septate Endophytic Fungi and Thiocyanate Induced Gold Accumulation of Brassica juncea and Amaranthus spinosus Grown on Gold Mine Tailings

(Kulat Endofit Berseptum Gelap dan Tiosianat Mengaruh Pengumpulan Emas oleh Amaranthus spinosus dan Brassica juncea yang Ditanam di Sisa Lombong Emas)

 

RENALDY RACHMAN SEPTIAN¹, SULISTIJORINI², SURONO³ & HAMIM^2,*

 

¹Graduate Program of Plant Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, IPB University. Jl. Agathis, Dramaga Campus, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia 16680  

²Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, IPB University. Jl. Agathis, Dramaga Campus, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia 16680

 ³Research Centre for Applied Microbiology, Research Organization for Life Sciences and Environment, National Research and Innovation Agency, Cibinong, West Java, Indonesia

 

Diserahkan: 17 Mac 2024/Diterima: 19 Mei 2025

 

Abstract

Plants can absorb metals, including gold, making them potential as phytomining agents. This study investigated the ability of Brassica juncea and Amaranthus spinosus inoculated with Dark Septate Endophyte (DSE) fungi and treated with ammonium thiocyanate to accumulate gold (Au) from gold mine tailings. The plants were inoculated with DSE fungi (S14 and S51), referred to as D1 and D2, respectively, and a control group without inoculation (D0). They were grown in four media: Soil (T0), Tailing (T1), Tailing + ammonium thiocyanate 0.62 g/kg (T2), and Tailing + ammonium thiocyanate 1.24 g/kg (T3). Results indicated successful DSE colonisation across treatments, improving root and shoot dry weight, plant height, chlorophyll and carotene contents, and gold uptake. Thiocyanate enhanced gold absorption but caused plant death at high concentrations. A. spinosus transported more gold to shoots, while B. juncea accumulated more gold in roots. The highest phytomining potential was observed in B. juncea inoculated with DSE S14 (D1) in T2 media. These findings highlight the potential of combining plant species, DSE fungi, and chelating agents to optimise phytomining in gold-contaminated sites. DSE fungi not only enhanced gold uptake but also mitigated stress caused by tailings, offering an eco-friendly strategy for metal recovery. Future research should explore scalability and long-term impacts to strengthen phytomining as a sustainable alternative in gold mining reclamation efforts.

Keywords: Amaranth; ammonium thiocyanate; DSE fungus; gold phytomining; phytoremediation

 

Abstrak

Tumbuhan mempunyai keupayaan menyerap logam, termasuk emas, menjadikannya agen fitopelombongan yang berpotensi. Penyelidikan ini mengkaji kemampuan Brassica juncea dan Amaranthus spinosus yang diinokulasi dengan kulat Endofit Berseptum Gelap (DSE) dan dirawat dengan ammonium tiosianat untuk mengumpulkan emas (Au) daripada sisa lombong emas. Tumbuhan diinokulasi dengan kulat DSE (S14 dan S51) yang dirujuk sebagai D1 dan D2 serta kumpulan kawalan tanpa inokulasi (D0). Tumbuhan ditanam di atas empat media: Tanah (T0), Sisa lombong (T1), Sisa lombong + amonium tiosianat 0.62 g/kg (T2) dan Sisa lombong + amonium tiosianat 1.24 g/kg (T3). Hasil menunjukkan kejayaan kolonisasi DSE dalam semua rawatan, meningkatkan berat kering akar dan pucuk, tinggi tumbuhan, kandungan klorofil dan karotena serta serapan emas. Tiosianat meningkatkan serapan emas tetapi menyebabkan kematian tumbuhan pada kepekatan tinggi. A. spinosus mengangkut lebih banyak emas ke bahagian pucuk, manakala B. juncea mengumpul lebih banyak emas di akar. Potensi fitopelombongan tertinggi diperoleh oleh B. juncea yang diinokulasi dengan DSE S14 (D1) dalam media T2. Penemuan ini menunjukkan potensi gabungan spesies tumbuhan, kulat DSE dan agen pengkelat untuk mengoptimumkan fitopelombongan di kawasan tercemar emas. Kulat DSE bukan sahaja meningkatkan serapan emas tetapi juga mengurangkan tekanan akibat sisa lombong, serta menawarkan strategi mesra alam untuk pemulihan logam. Penyelidikan lanjut harus meneliti kebolehskalaan dan kesan jangka panjang untuk mengukuhkan fitopelombongan sebagai alternatif mampan dalam usaha pemulihan kawasan perlombongan emas.

Kata kunci: Amaranth; amonium tiosianat; fitopelombongan emas; fitoremediasi; kulat DSE

 

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*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: hamim@apps.ipb.ac.id