MICROBIAL REMEDIATION OF CASSAVA, COCOA AND PALM OIL EFFLUENTS FROM THREE INDUSTRIAL SITES IN AKURE, ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Release of untreated industrial effluents, especially into water bodies makes the environment unhealthy and thereby affecting entire life of humans, plants and other aquatic animals. This study was carried out to determine the bioremediation potentials of microbial species isolated from industrial effluents of cassava, cocoa and palm oil in Ondo State, Nigeria for their bioremediation potential in the corresponding effluents and microorganisms with Physicochemical characterization of industrial effluents produced from cassava, cocoa and palm oil was carried out using standard methods. Bacteria and fungi were isolated from each effluent and were tested high growth rate were selected for the bioremediation assay. The molecular identification of the isolated organisms was carried out using standard methods. Isolates and consortium were used for the bioremediation of the effluents samples. The results revealed that Eight (8), four (4), seven (7), bacterial species were isolated from cassava, cocoa, and palm oil effluent respectively while five (5), four (4), and three (3) fungal species were isolated from cassava, cocoa, and palm oil effluent respectively. The consortium had a significant reduction in biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in all the effluents. However, Corynebacterium manihot reduced the BOD and COD from 1236.09 mg/l to 601.12mg/l and 1694.5mg/l to 743.19mg/l respectively in cassava effluent, Lactobacillus delbrueckii reduced the BOD and COD from 22.23mg/l to17.17mg/l and 89.71mg/l to 40.07 respectively for cocoa effluent and Penicillium notatum reduced the BOD and COD from 4362.03mg/l to 2142.91mg/l and 8615.09mg/l to 4063.22 respectively for the palm oil effluent. Temperature of effluents ranged from 35°C to 37°C and pH of the effluents was slightly above neutral but within the permissible limits and ranged from 5.42, 6.43 and 4.38 for cassava, cocoa and palm oil respectively. The findings of the study suggest that Corynebacterium manihot, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Micrococcus leteus, Pseudomonas fluorescence, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, Penicillium notatum, represent a promising tool for bioremediation of industrial effluents produced from cassava, cocoa and palm oil