The Role of Microorganisms in Distillery Wastewater Treatment: A Review

Abstract

Distilleries are one of the most polluting industries generating large volume of wastewater having a serious environmental concern. Distillery effluent is characterized by dark brown color, acidic pH, high temperature, low dissolved oxygen (DO), high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Distillery wastewater disposed onto the environment prior to treatment is hazardous and leads to soil and water pollution. The dark brown color of distillery effluent causes reduction of sunlight penetration, decreased photosynthetic activity and dissolved oxygen concentration in rivers, lakes and lagoons, hence becomes detrimental to aquatic life. It also causes reduction in soil alkalinity and inhibition of seed germination. Different physicochemical and biological methods have been investigated for the treatment of distillery effluents. In recent years, increasing attentions has been directed towards biological wastewater treatment methods. Bioremediation of wastewater using microorganisms is efficient and cost effective method. Microorganisms as bacteria, fungi, and algae have been shown to exhibit bioremediation activities mainly due to their production of complex and non-specific enzymatic systems capable of degrading various forms of pollutants from wastewater. The main concern of the present review is also to explore the role of microorganisms in wastewater treatment disposed from distilleries. Further, the mechanisms of color removal by fungi, bacteria and algae have also been incorporated.