OPTIMIZATION of MICROBIAL CONSORTIA in the DEGRADATION of BIODIESEL EFFLUENT from JATROPHA CURCUS

Abstract

The utilization of biodiesel produced from Jatropha curcus as renewable energy is relatively new area of research. The waste generated during biodiesel production may cause serious impact on the soil. The present study was aimed at optimizing microbial consortia in the degradation of biodiesel effluent (BDE). A portion of land (loamy soil) measuring 1.5 m by 1.5 m was polluted with BDE for 28 days. Standard microbiological and chemical methods were used to determine BDE utilizing organisms and physicochemical properties of the soil. The result of the total heterotrophic microbial counts from BDE polluted site at 0 to 28 days revealed significance p