Abstract

Untreated detergent bearing wastes discharged into the environment are sources of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS). Detergent wastes usually do not contain nitrogen or contain very low amounts. Biostimulation by introducing limiting nutrient element can be useful in biotreatment of such waste. The effect of inorganic and organic nitrogen supplements on aerobic degradation of LAS by LAS-utilizing bacteria was examined. Phosphate-buffered LAS mineral media were prepared and supplemented with different nitrogen sources: NPK fertilizer (inorganic) and urea fertilizer (organic). Individual and various consortia of pure cultures of <em>Alcaligenes odorans</em>, <em>Citrobacter diversus</em>, <em>Micrococcus luteus</em> and <em>Pseudomonas putida</em>, previously isolated from a detergent effluent polluted stream, were used. Biodegradation of LAS was monitored in terms of half-life (t½) of the surfactant. The rates of biodegradation by the consortia can be ranked as: 4-membered (t½=8-12 days) >3-membered (t½=8-13 days) >2-membered consortia (t½=10-15 days) >individuals (t½=9-16 days). The inorganic nitrogen source enhanced utilization of the surfactant, while organic nitrogen supplementation generally slowed degradation of the surfactant. In undertaking biotreatment of detergent bearing effluent, inorganic nitrogen should be used as biostimulant.

Highlights

  • linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) was monitored in terms of half-life (t1⁄2) of m the surfactant

  • Introduction source may affect the growth of biomass and of over 500 mg/L could not be treated by biologenzyme involved in LAS degradation

  • When the alkyl naphthalene sulfonate was In most urban areas in Nigeria, detergent Failure of the biotreatment to deal with developed in Germany as a replacement for bearing wastes are regularly released into the wastewater with high detergent concentration soap to avoid soap-curd formation when soap environment without treatment

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Summary

Introduction

LAS was monitored in terms of half-life (t1⁄2) of m the surfactant. The rates of biodegradation by the consortia can be ranked as: 4-membered m (t1⁄2=8-12 days) >3-membered (t1⁄2=8-13 days) o >2-membered consortia (t1⁄2=10-15 days) >indi-c viduals (t1⁄2=9-16 days). When the alkyl naphthalene sulfonate was In most urban areas in Nigeria, detergent Failure of the biotreatment to deal with developed in Germany as a replacement for bearing wastes are regularly released into the wastewater with high detergent concentration soap to avoid soap-curd formation when soap environment without treatment This results in could be due to the toxicity of high concentrareacted with mineral salts (Ca2+, Mg2+) in varying amounts of surfactants persisting in dif- tions of detergent to microorganisms.[14,20] water.[1] By the early 1930s, fatty-alcohol based ferent conditions: 180-240 mg/L in the River Asa; Peressutti et al.[21] observed that LAS levels detergents were introduced; the first was final- 180-440 mg/L in the Okun stream and 460-840 of 50 and 100 mg/L led to a pronounced ly introduced in the United States in 1946.

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