Microbial bioremediation of selected wastewaters – A review

Abstract

When untreated wastewater effluent is discharged, especially into water, it makes the environment unhealthy, and thereby affecting entire life of humans, plants and other aquatic animals. This ultimately affects the quality of water and limits its utilization. The microbial bioremediation of wastewaters relating to the application of variety of microorganisms has established effective degradability of organic wastes in wastewaters which has attracted attention in modern time. Several studies have shown the bioremediation ability of indigenous microorganisms isolated from different types of wastewaters. The bioremediation potentials of these microorganisms is measured in terms of reduction in physicochemical parameters of the wastewaters e.g. the Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), Chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solid (TSS), and significant inorganic parameters e.g. color, acidity, alkalinity, phosphorus, nitrate over a period of treatment time. The Bacillus genera, Pseudomonas species, Alcaligens feacalis, Aspergillus species, Micrococcus species, Actinobacillus species, Burkholderia cepacia, fungus like Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Geotrichum sp. and some other isolated species of microorganisms have been found to be effective in bioremediation process of wastewaters. This paper examines the bioremediation abilities of microorganisms in abattoir wastewater, textile wastewater and effluent from palm oil mill. Significant decrease in organic and inorganic parameters of selected wastewater effluent indicates reduction in pollution. Synergism among microorganisms when used in consortium in the bioremediation also aids cleanup process. Microbial bioremediation of different wastewaters is discussed in this paper in brief.