Fungi could be the environmental heroes of the future – Burcu Hacioglu nails his thesis
Can white rot fungi from our boreal forests be a solution to old environmental sins? Today, Burcu Hacioglu nailed her thesis in chemistry at Mid Sweden University, where she investigates how fungi can purify contaminated fiber sediments from the paper and pulp industry.
Burcu Hacioglu has been conducting research in environmental chemistry for several years with Professor Erik Hedenström as main supervisor and now she has nailed down her thesis. On 30 September, she will defend her work at a public defence.
The thesis is titled "Potential of white-rot fungi from boreal forests for the bioremediation of industrial fiber-sediments contaminated with hydrocarbons and toxic metal(oid)s". In his work, Hacioglu shows that fungi can break down persistent organic pollutants and absorb heavy metals from fibre sediments along the coast – deposits that constitute a remnant from the Swedish paper and pulp industry. The results open the way for new, more sustainable methods to deal with these environmental problems.
The dissertation will be held on 30 September 2025, at 10:00 in room O102 at Campus Sundsvall, with the opportunity to participate digitally via Zoom. The opponent is Associate Professor Oksana Golovko, SLU Ultuna, and the chair is Professor Anders Jonsson, Mid Sweden University.
For more information and a link to the public defence, see the calendar event.
Burcu Hacioglu and her main supervisor Erik Hedenström.