BIOREMEDIATION OF HOSPITAL WASTEWATER USING INDIGENOUS AND EXOGENOUS ACTINOBACTERIA ISOLATED FROM SOIL

Abstract

Wastewater is used water that has been negatively affected in quality by humans. Larger percentage of wastewater generated by community flows back into the ecosystem without being treated. Microorganisms are essential solution to overcome the challenges of aquatic pollution. In this study, bioremediation of hospital wastewater by indigenous and exogenous actinobacteria isolated from soil was examined. The physicochemical parameters (Biological Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Total Nitrogen, Total Phosphorus and Total Dissolved Solids) and pH of the wastewater were determined. The microorganisms isolated were characterized according to standard microbiological methods and their identities confirmed based on molecular techniques. Bacterial inocula were prepared according to standard techniques and inoculated into the wastewater samples and incubated for 25 days. Results from the research showed an increase in pH from 4.35 to 6.20 and reduction in other physicochemical parameters. The lowest removal efficiency of BOD by Micrococcus luteus were 78.21% and 85.10% for sterilized and unsterilized samples respectively and the highest was recorded from combined inoculum with 87.98% and 92.51% for both sterilized and unsterilized samples respectively. Individual isolates were capable of reducing the physicochemical parameters from the hospital wastes but highest pollutant removal occurred in hospital effluents inoculated with combined inoculum for all parameters indicating their synergistic effects on bioremediation of waste waters. The bioremediation process revealed that Micrococcus luteus and Streptomyces griseus can be used to bioremediate hospital wastewater.