Valorization of oily sludge waste using biosurfactant-producing bacteria.

Oily sludge generated by the petroleum industry is not only an environmental hazard, but since it contains crude oil too, it is a valuable resource as well. This study demonstrates a methodology for the valorization of the oily sludge that allows the recovery of oil fractions by the action of microbes producing surface-active metabolites. Two bacterial isolates were used in the study that were producing different biosurfactants, identified via FTIR analysis as well as through genomic mapping of the biosurfactant pathways using RAST, ANTISMASH 7.0, STRING databases. Serratia spp. AKBS12, produced a mono-rhamnolipid, while Acinetobacter spp. AKBS16, produced emulsan. Although recovery efficiency of both biosurfactants was similar, the recovery profile with respect to the class of hydrocarbons differed. The rhamnolipid produced by Serratia spp. AKBS12 extracted mono-chained paraffins and linear alkanes, while emulsan, produced by Acinetobacter spp. AKBS16 could extract heavier paraffins. The extraction procedure is simple and involves mixing the biosurfactant with oily sludge at a temperature of 30 °C with an incubation of 9 days. Sulphuric acid precipitation releases the oil trapped in the oily sludge. The study is the first step in developing user-friendly, innovative technologies that can be linked to the concept of a circular economy.

Characterization and removal of microplastics in a sewage treatment plant from urban Nagpur, India.

Sewage treatment plant (STP) acts as a potential source of microplastic contamination in the environment. The presence of microplastics in the sewage treatment plant is reported over the globe in varying concentrations. Hence, the current study is intended to evaluate the presence and abundance of microplastics occurring in sewage treatment plants in India. The samples were processed through digestion and density separation, followed by microscopic and polymer identification through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Also, different wastewater parameters were studied to analyze their influence. High microplastic concentrations were detected in the influent (1860 ± 265 MPs/L), which reduced by > 90%, to around 148 ± 51 MPs/L in the effluent. The concentration of microplastics in sewage sludge was 830 MPs/kg. The prominent plastic types identified include low-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, and rayon. The smaller particles prevail in the effluent, releasing around 30 billion particles per day to the environment. This suggests that the current STP is efficient in removing the majority of the particles, but considerations are needed to avoid the ecological risks associated.

Nano catalytic ozonation of biomethanated distillery wastewater for biodegradability enhancement, color and toxicity reduction with biofuel production.

The effectiveness of O3, O3/Fe2+, and O3/nZVI processes on biomethanated distillery wastewater (BMDWW) was evaluated in terms of biodegradability index (BI) enhancement, biofuel production, COD, color & toxicity reduction. A significant increase in biodegradability, COD, color and toxicity reduction was observed in O3/nZVI compared with O3, O3/Fe2+ due to more hydroxyl radical production. The O3/nZVI pretreated wastewater with enhanced BI (up to 0.71) showed 60% COD removal with additional biogas generation (64% methane content). From the Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis, 18 foremost organic compounds were predominantly detected in the raw distillery wastewater. The disappearance of the corresponding FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) & GC-MS spectra during pretreatment processes signified the degradation or transformation of the recalcitrant present in the distillery wastewater. Subsequent (AnO + AO, AO) of pretreated BMDWW resulted in biodegradation rate enhancement by (1.83, 1.67), (3.5, 2.4) and (4.7, 2.9) times for O3, O3/Fe2+ and O3/nZVI processes respectively.

Comparison of coagulation, ozone and ferrate treatment processes for color, COD and toxicity removal from complex textile wastewater.

In this study, the comparative performance of coagulation, ozone, coagulation + ozone + coagulation and potassium ferrate processes to remove chemical oxygen demand (COD), color, and toxicity from a highly polluted textile wastewater were evaluated. Experimental results showed that ferrate alone had no effect on COD, color and toxicity removal. Whereas, in combination with FeSO4, it has shown the highest removal efficiency of 96.5%, 83% and 75% for respective parameters at the optimal dose of 40 mgL-1 + 3 ml FeSO4 (1 M) in comparison with other processes. A seed germination test using seeds of Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) also indicated that ferrate was more effective in removing toxicity from contaminated textile wastewater. Potassium ferrate also produces less sludge with maximum contaminant removal, thereby making the process more economically feasible. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis also shows the cleavage of the chromophore group and degradation of textile wastewater during chemical and oxidation treatment processes.

Solar assisted alkali pretreatment of garden biomass: Effects on lignocellulose degradation, enzymatic hydrolysis, crystallinity and ultra-structural changes in lignocellulose.

A comprehensive study was carried out to assess the effectiveness of solar assisted alkali pretreatment (SAAP) on garden biomass (GB). The pretreatment efficiency was assessed based on lignocellulose degradation, conversion of cellulose into reducing sugars, changes in the ultra-structure and functional groups of lignocellulose and impact on the crystallinity of cellulose, etc. SAAP was found to be efficient for the removal of lignin and hemicellulose that facilitated enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose. FTIR and XRD studies provided details on the effectiveness of SAAP on lignocellulosic moiety and crystallinity of cellulose. Scanning electron microscopic analysis showed ultra-structural disturbances in the microfibrils of GB as a result of pretreatment. The mass balance closer of 97.87% after pretreatment confirmed the reliability of SAAP pretreatment. Based on the results, it is concluded that SAAP is not only an efficient means of pretreatment but also economical as it involved no energy expenditure for heat generation during pretreatment.

Removal of As(III) and As(V) from water by copper oxide incorporated mesoporous alumina.

In the present manuscript a new adsorbent namely copper oxide incorporated mesoporous alumina (COIMA) for removal of arsenic from water is reported. The COIMA was prepared by treating mesoporous alumina with copper sulphate solution followed by calcination at 450°C in the presence of air. Various adsorption isotherm and kinetic parameters were computed using batch adsorption studies to determine the adsorption capacity for As(III) and As(V) and to understand the mechanism of adsorption. It was observed that incorporation of copper oxide improves the adsorption capacity of unmodified alumina from 0.92 to 2.16 mg g(-1) for As(III) and from 0.84 to 2.02 mg g(-1) for As(V). The results revealed that the adsorption follows Langmuir isotherm and pseudo-second-order kinetic models for both As(III) and As(V). The material is capable of simultaneously removing As(III) and As(V) with removal efficiencies of more than 95% for both As(III) and As(V). Assessment of the water quality before and after treatment with COIMA also confirmed that the there is no leaching of copper and other parameters were also within permissible limits of Indian drinking water standard indicating that the COIMA can be used for treatment of arsenic contaminated drinking water.