Swiss researchers develop method to extract “black gold” from fungi
Empa researcher Tine Kalac applies melanin as a varnish to Norway spruce wood.
Empa
Researchers at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) have developed a simple method to extract natural melanin from mushrooms also known as "black gold". This unlocks new opportunities to create new materials and protect natural materials like wood.
This content was published on
3 minutes
empa/jdp
The pigment melanin protects an organism from environmental stress. As an example, our skin darkens when exposed to the sun because melanin protects human skin from harmful UV light. In other organisms, such as fungi, melanin has a range of other properties.
Until now though, the processes for extracting natural melanin from microorganisms have yielded small quantities, which is why it is much more expensive than gold – giving it the name “black gold”.
In search of a simple and cheap process of producing natural melanin in large quantities, a team from Empa came across a fungus that grows in the forest called Armillaria cepistipes. Its metabolism enables the fungus to bind heavy metals, make wood glow in the dark and produce 1,000 times more melanin than other fungi. The researchers cultivated the fungus in a nutrient field with a precursor, tyrosine, which causes the fungus to release melanin into the environment. In three months, the Armillaria produces around 20 grams of melanin.
The discovery unlocks a range of opportunities to develop innovative materials such as new types of water filters. By integrating melanin into artificial polymers that are then spun into membranes have shown to remove up to 94% of lead from polluted water.
“Melanin is extremely stable when exposed to environmental influences and is interesting not only as a pigment, but also far beyond for the development of innovative composite materials,” said Empa researcher Francis Schwarze from Empa’s “Cellulose & Wood Materials” lab.
The Serpentino: a peculiar shape with a touching sound.
Xavier Voirol
Empa is now working with the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland and the Basel Historical Museum, to use the melanin to reconstruct a rare wood wind instrument, the Serpentino. The curved snake-like shape of the instrument means that condensation from the musician’s breath creates a humid microclimate for bacteria and fungi to grow that can decompose the wood instrument. This is destroying the last original instruments that exist.
The hope is that using a protective wood impregnation based on melanin can help protect newly built serpentinos against decay. Other woodwind instruments built today using domestic, less resistant woods could also benefit from such an environmentally friendly wood treatment.
Popular Stories
More
Climate adaptation
Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world
Drugs often approved for wider use than tested, says Swiss study
This content was published on
A study by the University of Zurich, ETH Zurich and Yale and Harvard universities found that many medicines are approved for groups not tested in trials.
This content was published on
Over the four days, around 98,000 people – including volunteers – made their way up Bern’s local mountain for the 42nd edition of the festival.
Foreign residents in Moutier gain voting rights before town joins canton Jura
This content was published on
Foreign nationals living in Moutier will be able to vote in local and cantonal elections this year, even before the town joins the canton of Jura in 2026.
This content was published on
By 8am on Saturday, an 11-kilometre queue had formed at the Gotthard tunnel’s northern entrance, with drivers facing nearly two hours of delays.
Plant-based meat market in Switzerland set to grow to CHF361 million by 2030
This content was published on
Switzerland’s market for plant-based meat alternatives has a potential value of around CHF 242 million this year, though it remains a niche market.
This content was published on
The army is looking for a modern solution for its decommissioned fortress mortar bunkers, with plans to turn them into hardened defence hubs.
This content was published on
Spain ended Switzerland’s run in the Women’s Euros on Friday, but fans in Bern made history with the largest supporters’ march in Women’s Euros history.
This content was published on
Solar energy pioneer Raphaël Domjan and his team continued preparations for the altitude record attempt at 10,000 metres with the SolarStratos solar aircraft.
This content was published on
Cattle in the canton of Geneva and in the neighbouring region of Terre Sainte in the canton of Vaud are being vaccinated against the contagious viral skin nodule disease. The first cases of the animal disease were reported at the end of June in France, just outside Geneva.
Fewer attacks on Swiss ATMs but their future remains uncertain
This content was published on
Bank ATMs in Switzerland are less prone to attacks by criminals, but their future remains uncertain given the less active use of cash by the population.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss develop first see-through surgical mask
This content was published on
A fully transparent surgical mask that filters out germs but allows facial expressions to be seen has been developed by Swiss scientists.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.