Bioremediation Potential of Immobilized Corynebacterium kutsceri in the Treatment of Tannery Industry Effluent from Challawa Industrial Estate, Kano State, Nigeria

Abstract

In the present study, bioremediation potentials of indigenous bacteria (Corynebacteriumkutsceri) in the treatment of tannery effluent was investigated. Industrial tannery effluent samples fromMamuda Tannery Industries in Challawa Industrial estate, Kano State, Nigeria were collected for a period ofsix months (August 2017 to January 2018) for the experiment. Bacteria were isolated from the effluentsusing serial dilution, immobilized on agar-agar and biochemical tests were carried out to identify thebacteria. Different masses (5 g, 10 g, 15 g, 20 g, and 25 g) of the identified bacteria were used in thetreatment of 250 mL of the effluents. Temperature, pH, Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), ChemicalOxygen Demand (COD), Suspended Solid (SS), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), sulfate, phosphate, nitrate,chloride, and some heavy metals (Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cd, and Cu) were determined before and aftertreatment of the effluents with the bacteria. The pre-treatment analysis showed that the values,29.50±4.68, and 5.35±1.57, were observed for temperature (OC) and the pH respectively. The levels(mg/L), 26.17±9.49; 3106±2753; 562±482; 444±507; 97.20±146.80; 268.34±411.01; 8.82±34.71 and22.59±19.64 were observed for BOD, COD, SS, TDS, nitrate, sulfates, phosphate, and chlorides,respectively. The concentration (mg/L) of the heavy metals, before treatment (with the bacteria) were as;Cr (7.528±4.530); Fe (1.263±0.502); Ni (0.023 ± 0.021); Mn (0.277 ± 0.03); Pb (0.304 ± 0.20); Zn(0.058± 0.05); Cd (0.068±0.02) and Cu (0.012 ±0.02). The bacteria were identified to be Corynebacteriumkutsceri. The post-treatment analysis showed that the COD (1376±248−2681±867 mg/L) has the highestvalue while Cu (ND −0.007±0.00 mg/L) has the lowest value. The post-treatment analysis using thedifferent masses of the Corynebacterium kutsceri indicates that there is a great decrease in the levels of thephysicochemical parameters and the heavy metals as well when compared with the levels observed at thepre-treatment analysis. The decrease could be attributed to, not only due to the increase in the exact massof the bacteria but also to the multiplicity in the mass of the Corynebacterium kutsceri which subsequentlyincreases the surface area for the remediation. The average high percentage reduction (70% to 100%) ofthese parameters and heavy metals implies that the Corynebacterium kutsceri has a higher potential for thetreatment of effluents from the textile industries.