Evaluation of Fresh Water Actinomycete Bioflocculant and Its Biotechnological Applications in Wastewaters Treatment and Removal of Heavy Metals

Mayowa Oladele Agunbiade, Carolina Pohl, Esta Van Heerden, Oluwaseun Oyekola and Anofi Ashafa
Additional contact information
Mayowa Oladele Agunbiade: Biocatalysis and Technical Biology Research Group, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, PO Box 1906, Bellville 7535, South Africa
Carolina Pohl: Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9301, South Africa
Esta Van Heerden: iWater Pty Limited, Walter Sisulu 5, Bloemfontein 9301, South Africa
Oluwaseun Oyekola: Department of Chemical Engineering, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Bellville 7535, South Africa
Anofi Ashafa: Phytomedicine and Phytopharmacology Research group, Department of Plant Sciences, University of the Free Sate, Qwaqwa Campus, Puthaditjabha 9866, South Africa

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 18, 1-15

Abstract: This study evaluated the potential of a biopolymeric flocculant produced by Terrabacter sp. isolated from Sterkfontein Dam, South Africa. Microbial flocculants aid the aggregation of suspended solutes in solutions, thus, suggesting its alternative application to inorganic and synthetic organic flocculants, which are associated with health-related problems. The 16S rDNA analysis revealed the bacteria to have 98% similarity to Terrabacter sp. MUSC78T and the sequence was deposited in the Genbank as Terrabacter sp. with accession number KF682157.1. A series of experimental parameters such as bioflocculant dosage, cations concentrations, pH, and application of the purified bioflocculant in wastewaters treatment were investigated. In the presence of glucose as a sole carbon source, Ca 2+ as cation at pH 8, the optimal flocculating activity attained was 85%. Optimum bioflocculant dosage of 0.5 mg/mL was able to remove chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), suspended solids (SS), nitrate, and turbidity in dairy wastewater. In addition, the tested bioflocculant exhibited higher flocculating efficiency as compared to polyaluminum chloride, polyethylenime, and alum. Inductible coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analyses confirmed significant removal of 77.7% Fe, 74.8% Al, 61.9% Mn, and 57.6% Zn as representatives of heavy metals from treated dairy wastewater. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated the presence of carboxyl, hydroxyl, and amino groups in the purified bioflocculant which could be responsible for flocculation. Findings from this study showed the prospect of the studied bioflocculant as an alternative candidate in wastewater treatment and remediating of heavy metals.

Keywords: wastewaters; Terrabacter sp; flocculation; heavy metals; ICP-OES; FTIR (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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