Bacterial biofilm‐based nitrate and phosphate removal from rubber latex wastewater for sustainable water usage

Abstract

Rubber latex wastewater contains high level of inorganic anions such as nitrate and phosphate which are more prevalent as groundwater contaminant. The applicability of biofilm forming bacterial isolates to treat rubber latex wastewater was investigated. Microscopic analyses (CLSM and SEM) evaluated that the major component of biofilm other than bacterial cell is EPS matrix. EPS was found to contain higher proportion of lipids and polysaccharide which are required for attachment and absorption of nutrients. ATR-FTIR and 1 H NMR revealed the functional groups present in EPS. Rhodococcus rhodochrous CTI-14 showed robust biofilm followed by Cellulosimicrobium sp. CTB-10. Out of six bacterial consortia tested, consortium-D efficiently removed 95% NO − 3-N and 75% PO 3− 4. Taguchi method revealed the optimum parameters to remove the nutrients. The consortium-D optimally reduced nitrate and phosphate at pH 7 at 37°C. Consortium-D composed of Cellulosimicrobium sp. CTB-10, Aeromonas veronii OS-01, Lysinibacillus sphaericus RTA-01 and Rhodococcus rhodochrous CTI-14 was found to be the most efficient bacterial consortium to treat rubber latex wastewater.

Assembly strategies for rubber-degrading microbial consortia based on omics tools

“…Actinomycete isolated from sludge at wastewater treatment plants could grow and multiply in liquid medium using NR as a carbon source, and it was confirmed that the isolated strains could reduce the molecular weight of NR thus achieving microbial degradation of NR; Gordonia and Actinomycete ( Hiessl et al, 2012 ; Ali Shah et al, 2013 ) isolated from soil at rubber plantations were found to be effective in microbial degradation of NR; the use of insect laccase and manganese peroxidase secreted by Penicillium can also be used for the biodegradation of NR ( Nayanashree and Thippeswamy, 2015b ). It has been reported that Rhodococcus , the predominant species accountable for the degradation of NR, is capable of degrading organic pollutants and is therefore considered effective ( Dey et al, 2020 ). Streptomyces have been studied by researchers to degrade non-vulcanized fresh latex and common vulcanized rubber products such as NR gloves, NR condoms and rubber car tires ( Nanthini and Sudesh, 2017 ).…”

Amine-Grafted Pomegranate Peels for the Simultaneous Removal of Nitrate and Phosphate Anions from Wastewater

“…In this regard, a number of innovative processes to remove NO 3 − and PO 4 3− from wastewater were developed, involving biological, chemical, and physical treatment methods. Biological processes are used to remove NO 3 − and PO 4 3− , including biological denitrification and/or dephosphating bacteria [6][7][8][9], which are able to convert NO 3 − and PO 4 3− anions into less harmful forms such as nitrogen gas and phosphoric acid, respectively. These methods are commonly employed in wastewater treatment stations and are known as denitrification and biological phosphorus removal.…”