Bioremediation, revolutionising waste water globally

By OEM Update Editorial March 7, 2019 4:22 pm IST

With rising population and depleting water resources, waste water treatment is no longer an optional. Most developing countries struggle to keep a balance between inadequate water supply and increasing water demand for industrial, agricultural and domestic purposes. A country like China generates more than 20 billion m 3 of effluent yearly. Hence, it is imperative to find innovative solutions for waste water treatment.

Lack of appropriate technology for treatment of industrial effluent further pollutes the fresh water sources. Governments across the globe have woken up to this fact and have allocated huge amounts to reap the desirable results. Government of countries as small as Uruguay has allotted $100 million dollars for innovation in the realm of waste water treatment.

Biological plants form the heart of ETPs (Effluent Treatment Plants). Bioaugmentation of industrial effluent is a new age technology revolutionising waste water globally. Commissioning of plants with right microbial mix accounts for 5 per cent of the OPEX costs but leads to 85 per cent reduction in pollution parameters.

Unlike the physio-chemical methods, which are costly and damaging to the environment, bioremediation provides a cost-effective and safe alternative for waste water treatment. Specialised consortium of microbes can aid in degradation of complex recalcitrant compounds too, thereby helping the industries to meet the norms laid down by Central Pollution Control Board.

Initially, some industries used cow manure as a source of microbes. However, the use of manure was associated with increased pathogenecity and ineffective treatment of waste water

Organica Biotech solution
Effluent treatment plants are dynamic systems possessing diverse nature of effluents. Such capricious conditions demand robust cultures which not only thrive in such challenging conditions but also aid in lead to degradation of complex organic compounds.

Authored article by:
Shruti Dumbhare
Account Manager
Organica Biotech