Enhanced biodegradation of ibuprofen using bacterial consortia isolated from landfill leachate

The widespread use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen, has led to a persistent occurrence across various environmental matrices, raising concern regarding potential human health and ecological impacts. The potentially detrimental risks of ibuprofen exposure highlight the need for exploring effective and cost-efficient remediation techniques. The microbial degradation of ibuprofen represents a significant technological and economical approach. The present study investigates the biodegradation of ibuprofen using two distinct microbial consortia (MC I and MC II) isolated from landfill leachate using Postgate media and acclimated with ibuprofen. Batch mode experiments were conducted to assess the removal of 500 mg/L ibuprofen in the presence and absence of a carbon source (glucose and acetate). MC I and MC II achieved complete removal of ibuprofen within 78 h and 60 h, respectively, under substrate-free conditions. When supplemented with glucose, the removal time was reduced to 54 h for MC I and 36 h for MC II, whereas acetate addition resulted in removal extended to 60 h and 48 h, respectively. The metagenomics analysis (16S rRNA sequencing) of microbial consortia revealed Firmicutes (Bacillota), Actinobacteria (Actinomycetota), Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Thermotogae as the dominant phyla and GC-MS analysis confirmed the presence of significant metabolites (endpoint of the bioassay) in the biodegradation of ibuprofen, i.e., 2-hydroxy ibuprofen, 1,4-hydroquinone, and 2-hydroxy-1,4-quinol. The findings of the study highlight the potential of microbial consortia for efficient ibuprofen biodegradation and provide insights into their metabolic pathway.