>>24541624
Spent Mushroom Substrate (SMS) or Spent Mushroom Compost (SMC) is a high-volume, organic byproduct of the mushroom industry, produced at a rate of roughly 5 kg for every 1 kg of mushrooms harvested. Due to its high organic matter content, it is widely recognized as a valuable resource for soil amendment, agricultural use, and bioenergy production, moving towards a circular economy.
Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) and specialized fungi, such as melanin-rich melanized fungi found at Chernobyl, can bind radioactive isotopes (like Cesium-137 and Strontium-90) in contaminated soil and water. While not eliminating the radioactivity itself, these fungi act as a, "biological sponge," concentrating radioactive material in their biomass, allowing for easier, targeted disposal of the accumulated waste.
Can Fungi “eat” Radiation: Lessons from Chernobyl?
https://hazmatmag.com/2026/01/26/can-fungi-eat-radiation-lessons-from-chernobyl/