Journal of Applied Biosciences (J. Appl. Biosci.) [ISSN 1997 - 5902]
Volume 14: 788 - 795. Published February 2, 2009.
Bioremediation of benzene, toluene and o-xylene by cow dung microbial consortium
Dipty Singh and M. H. Fulekar*
Environmental Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, University of Mumbai,Vidyanagari Campus, Santacruz (E) Mumbai-400 098, India.
*Corresponding author e–mail: mhfulekar@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT
Objective: Bioremediation of Benzene, Toluene and o-Xylene (BTX) by cow dung microbial consortium using batch scale process.
Methodology and results: Cow dung microbial consortium collected from cow shed and continuously aerated at the rate of 0.9 - 1.2 m3/h was used as in bioremediation of BTX in batch scale process under controlled environmental conditions of mesophilic temperature (25 – 27°C) and neutral pH (7.4 - 6.6). Benzene and Toluene were separately bioremediated at 100, 250 and 500 mg l-1 whereas o-Xylene was bioremediated at 50, 100 and 250 mg l-1. The bioremediated compounds were assayed hourly for up to 6 h and thereafter every 24 h up to a period of 168 h. Benzene and Toluene were degraded 100% at a concentration of 100 mg l-1, whereas o-Xylene was degraded 97% at a concentration of 50 mg l-1. When Benzene was bioremediated at 250 and 500 mg l-1 the degradation was 67.5 and 9%, respectively. Toluene was biodegraded by 75 and 10 % at an exposure of 250 and 500 mg l-1, respectively. In case of o-Xylene the degradation was 75.9 and 10 % for concentrations of 100 and 250 mg l-1, respectively. The rate of decrease in chemical oxygen demand (COD) was directly proportional to the bioremediation of each compound studied. The decrease in biological oxygen demand (BOD) level in case of lower concentrations of contaminant also indicates the potential of cow dung microbial consortium to degrade the BTX. Conclusion and application of findings: The present study demonstrates the potential of cow dung microbial consortium in the biodegradation of BTX in a batch process under controlled environmental conditions. The technology developed in this pilot scale study can be effectively applied in petrochemical and other chemical industries for treatment of toxic wastes.
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