Decolourization of textile effluent using native microbial consortium enriched from textile industry effluent

Area of Science:

• Environmental Microbiology
• Biotechnology
• Wastewater Treatment

Background:

• Textile effluents pose significant environmental challenges due to persistent color and high alkalinity.
• Conventional treatment methods for textile wastewater are often costly and require multiple steps.
• Developing efficient and sustainable decolourization processes is crucial for the textile industry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To optimize a decolourization process for textile effluents using a novel microbial consortium.
• To evaluate the efficiency of the process under extreme temperature and pH conditions.
• To assess the long-term performance and industrial applicability of the developed treatment method.

Main Methods:

• Enrichment of a microbial consortium from textile effluent.
• Optimization of decolourization using effluent as a carbon source with minimal yeast extract.
• Performance evaluation at varying temperatures (30-50 °C) and pH (7-12).
• Long-term continuous mode monitoring in a lab-scale bioreactor over 60 days.

Main Results:

• Achieved 70-73% color reduction in dyeing unit wastewater (1910-1930 to 516-555 hazen).
• Demonstrated unhindered performance at high temperatures (30-50 °C) and alkaline pH (7-12).
• Consistent color and chemical oxygen demand removal over 60 days of continuous operation.
• Treated water consistently exhibited neutral pH.

Conclusions:

• The native microbial consortium effectively treats dye-laden textile wastewater without dilution or pre-treatment.
• The process is robust, efficient, and requires minimal external inputs, making it cost-effective.
• The demonstrated stability and efficiency under extreme conditions ensure easy industrial-scale applicability.