Bioremediation of greywater using a novel bacterial–fungal consortium: optimization and validation of the operating parameters in vitro

Abstract

ABSTRACT In the present study, removal of pollutants in greywater was investigated using a novel bacterial–fungal consortium. Response surface methodology was used for the optimization of process variables like pH, temperature, inoculum size, and Carbon/Nitrogen (C/N ratio) for degradation of pollutants. Experiments were based on Box Behnken statistical design and the results show a good fit with the quadratic model, coefficient of determination (R 2) value of 0.9499. The reliability of the model was established by various statistical parameters like lack of fit, pure error, and residual sum of squares. The optimized conditions for maximum reduction in chemical oxygen demand, oil & grease and sulphate were found to be 78.7%, 82.6% and 89.7%, respectively after 96 h of incubation of the reaction mixture at pH 7; temperature 35°C; inoculum size 150 µl and C/N ratio of 1:2. Our results clearly demonstrate that the developed novel bacterial–fungal consortium can be a cost-effective, safe, and environment-friendly alternative for remediation of greywater.