Treatment of Hydrocarbon-Rich Wastewater to Enhance Reusability of Water Using a Novel Indigenous Microalgal-Bacterial Consortium Isolated from Kovalam Beach, India

The present article focuses on the bioremediation of diesel from simulated wastewater at different pollutant concentrations using a novel indigenous microalgal-bacterial consortium isolated from Kovalam Beach, India. The consortium was characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The consortium was tested for its sustainability at different diesel concentrations (150-1,000 mg/L), at which its pollutant removal potential was assessed. Maximum (79.62%) and minimum (49.35%) removal was achieved at 500 mg/L and 1,000 mg/L initial concentrations of pollutant, respectively. Production of biomass and biomolecules was also analyzed during the removal of diesel at its different concentrations. A logistic model was used to predict the kinetics of consortium growth during the treatment of simulated wastewater. The reusability of the previously used consortium was tested by its use in a further set of experimentations for removal of pollutants, and 90% removal of diesel having 500 mg/L concentration was found. The characterization of untreated and spent biomass was done with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. (c) 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers.