Research Article
Noorjahan CM
Abstract
An investigation was carried out to analyze Physicochemical parameters like colour, odour, pH, electrical Conductivity (EC),Total suspended dolids (TSS), Total dissolved Solids (TDS), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), chromium and copper of untreated tannery effluent and to degrade the effluent using native and non-native bacteria. The results of the parameters analysis revealed that untreated tannery effluent was black in colour with offensive odour. pH was alkaline with high organic load such as EC, TSS, TDS, BOD and COD which were higher than the permissible since the effluent had high organic load, microbes (bacteria) present within the effluent was identified and isolated. The results of the study revealed the occurrence of 4 species of bacteria namely Escherichia coli, Klebsiella sp., Pseudomonas sp. and Staphylococcus aureus. The presence of bacteria indicates the pollutional status of the untreated tannery effluent suggesting that it should be treated before its disposal using the biological method particularly native and non-native bacteria for comparing their degrading efficiency. The results of the degradation study shows that native bacteria E. coli was found to be very much successful in reduction of toxic substances at the percentage range of 54-91% whereas non-native Bacillus sp showed reduction percentage range of 56-95% and the bio-treated water can be reused for the agricultural and aqua-cultural purposes.