The Potentiality of Free Gram-negative Bacteria for Removing Oil and Grease from Contaminated Industrial Effluents

Abstract

Eight bacterial species were isolated from vegetable oil and grease-contaminated industrial wastewater, only four of which were found to have the ability to degrade oil and grease in the contaminated wastewater. These isolates were identified according to morphological and biochemical profiles as, Pseudomonas sp. (L1), P. diminuta (L2), P. pseudoalcaligenes (L3), and Escherichia sp. (L5). The degradative capabilities of the identified bacterial isolates for Tween 20 (Tw20) were investigated under different pH levels (6.5, 7, 7.5, and 8), different temperatures (30 and 37 °C) and different concentrations of Tw20 (1, 1.5, and 2%). Results revealed differences in their optimum conditions for maximum degradation of vegetable oil. Bacterial isolates were tested individually or in combinations using synthetic aqueous medium supplemented with 1% palm oil, incubated at 30 °C, and agitated at 150 rev/min for 13 days. All the tested bacteria were able to degrade the palm oil completely and utilized the free fatty acids (FFA) as a carbon source. The combination M1 (Pseudomonas sp. and P. diminuta) produced the highest degradative activity, followed by M3 (Pseudomonas sp., P. diminuta and P. pseudoalcaligenes). Also M1 produced the highest activity in reducing COD (93%) and BOD5 (100%).