Isolation and development of a microbial consortium for the treatment of automobile service station wastewater

Abstract

Aim: This work aims to investigate the nature of waste being generated by automobile service stations (ASS) and to devise a microbial-based formulation for the treatment of ASS wastewater. Methods and Results:Analysis of soil and water samples from the vicinity of different ASS in and around the Pune city region (India) revealed the presence of significant amounts of many heavy metals including zinc (Zn) 13.8-175.44 mg kg −1 , nickel (Ni) 0.6-5.5 mg kg −1 and copper (Cu) 8.07-179.2 mg kg −1 as well as oil and grease (O&G).A consortium, consisting of selected members from the ASS soil bacterial isolates, was formulated. The selection of consortium members was based on their ability to degrade hydrocarbons, tolerate heavy metals, and produce biosurfactant and lipase.The developed microbial consortium was capable of reducing the concentration of Ni, manganese (Mn) and chromium (Cr) by 69.25%, 14.63% and 84.93%, respectively, and O&G by 71.8% in the aqueous medium under laboratory conditions. Conclusions:Wastewater and soil analysis confirmed the presence of a high amount of O&G and metals in and around ASS. The developed microbial consortium holds potential for the treatment of wastewater rich in O&G and heavy metals. Significance and Impact of the study:There is a dearth of scientific studies in India on the wastewater and polluted soils associated with ASS. This work reveals and confirms the hazardous nature of ASS and the need for the development and feasibility of microbial-based technology for the sustainable bioremediation of such sites.

Use of Shotgun Metagenomics to Assess the Microbial Diversity and Hydrocarbons Degrading Functions of Auto-Mechanic Workshops Soils Polluted with Gasoline and Diesel Fuel

“…The investigation was based on their capacity to utilize diesel and gasoline for their growth and to produce biosurfactants according to their emulsification activity. Growth on mineral medium supplemented with hydrocarbon substrates is a standard test used to directly indicate the isolates’ capability to degrade or tolerate hydrocarbons [ 8 , 14 , 55 , 56 ]. In addition, the emulsification test is one of the standard assays for biosurfactant production assessment.…”

“…Indeed, most of the studies in the literature emphasize the pollution caused by auto mechanic workshops and the toxicity potential of dumped petroleum compounds [ 3 , 4 , 5 ], while the environmental contribution of SAWs for hydrocarbon-contaminated soils treatment is often overlooked. Only a few studies have reported the isolation of hydrocarbon-utilizing bacteria from SAWs for bioremediation purposes [ 14 ]. In particular, the metagenomes analysis of SAWs for investigating genes and pathways associated with hydrocarbon degradation has not yet been sufficiently studied.…”

Great Abilities of Shinella zoogloeoides Strain from a Landfarming Soil for Crude Oil Degradation and a Synergy Model for Alginate-Bead-Entrapped Consortium Efficiency

“…Landfarming soil contaminated with petroleum waste has been shown to be a reservoir of microbial communities holding genes involved in the degradation of oil compounds [ 23 ]. Additionally, previous studies have reported the isolation of bacterial strains from diverse genera with the ability to degrade petroleum hydrocarbons [ 10 , 24 , 25 , 26 ]. Particularly, the investigation of the microbial communities in SGP and their functional profiles will be communicated in another study.…”

“…The members of the consortium were selected based on their hydrocarbon degradation and biosurfactant production abilities. The use of bacterial consortia for the remediation of petroleum hydrocarbons have expanded in recent years with successful reports [ 1 , 19 , 24 , 30 ]. Microbial consortia particularly offer greater advantages for hydrocarbon degradation compared to single strains, owing to the presence of more diverse metabolic functionalities [ 6 ].…”