Detoxification of Heavy Metals by Biosurfactants

Abstract

In recent times river pollution is a serious and growing problem in most developing countries. Industrial effluents and sewage entering the water bodies are one of the major sources of environmental toxicity, which endangers aquatic biota and deteriorates water quality. Biological methods for the removal of heavy metals from industrial waste may provide an attractive alternative to the physicochemical process. Biosurfactants are one of the compounds that help in alleviating the heavy metals. A large number of bacteria such as Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Acinetobacter sp. And Arthrobacter sp. are reported to produce biosurfactants. Compared to synthetic compounds, biosurfactants provide the advantages of little or no environmental impact and the possibility of in-situ production. Studies in recent past have exhibited the successful use of biosurfactants for facilitating the degradation of organic pollutants in soil and water. In the light of the above, the present study is aimed to carry out the assessment of efficiency of biosurfactants producing bacteria isolated from heavy metal contaminated site of the river Ganga. The bacterial isolates (PGS1, PGS2 and PGS3) were screened belonging to the genus Pseudomonas were found to remove heavy metals from the medium. The isolate PGS1 was found to be more effective in removing more than 50% chromium and cadmium from the medium. In recent times river pollution is a serious and growing problem in most developing countries. Industrial effluents and sewage entering the water bodies are one of the major sources of environmental toxicity, which endangers aquatic biota and deteriorates water quality. Biological methods for the removal of heavy metals from industrial waste may provide an attractive alternative to the physicochemical process. Biosurfactants are one of the compounds that help in alleviating the heavy metals. A large number of bacteria such as Bacillus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Acinetobacter sp. And Arthrobacter sp. are reported to produce biosurfactants. Compared to synthetic compounds, biosurfactants provide the advantages of little or no environmental impact and the possibility of in-situ production. Studies in recent past have exhibited the successful use of biosurfactants for facilitating the degradation of organic pollutants in soil and water. In the light of the above, the present study is aimed to carry out the assessment of efficiency of biosurfactants producing bacteria isolated from heavy metal contaminated site of the river Ganga. The bacterial isolates (PGS1, PGS2 and PGS3) were screened belonging to the genus Pseudomonas were found to remove heavy metals from the medium. The isolate PGS1 was found to be more effective in removing more than 50% chromium and cadmium from the medium.