Bioremediation of tannery wastewater using Tetradesmus deserticola: A sustainable approach

Anuradha Devi; Vartika Jain; Devendra Kumar Patel; Gubbala Naga Venkata Satyanarayan; Ram Naresh Bharagava

doi:10.18006/2025.13(2).190.203

Authors

Anuradha Devi Laboratory of Bioremediation and Metagenomics Research (LBMR), Department of Environmental Microbiology (DEM), Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Vidya Vihar, Raebareli Road, Lucknow-226025 (U.P.), India.
Vartika Jain Analytical Chemistry Division, ASSIST Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, VishvigyanBhawan, P. O. Box-80, M. G. Marg, Lucknow, 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Devendra Kumar Patel Analytical Chemistry Division, ASSIST Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, VishvigyanBhawan, P. O. Box-80, M. G. Marg, Lucknow, 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Gubbala Naga Venkata Satyanarayan Analytical Chemistry Division, ASSIST Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, VishvigyanBhawan, P. O. Box-80, M. G. Marg, Lucknow, 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Ram Naresh Bharagava Laboratory of Bioremediation and Metagenomics Research (LBMR), Department of Environmental Microbiology (DEM), Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Vidya Vihar, Raebareli Road, Lucknow-226025 (U.P.), India. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1092-4181

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18006/2025.13(2).190.203

Keywords:

Tannery wastewater, Remediation, Microalgae, T. deserticola, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, Physicochemical analysis

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the potential of Tetradesmus deserticola for the bioremediation of tannery wastewater (TWW), which contains both organic and inorganic pollutants that are harmful to the environment and human health if discharged untreated. The methodology involved culturing T. deserticola in different concentrations of TWW and assessing its ability to remove pollutants over 15 days. The physicochemical analysis of the treated TWW revealed significant reductions in key parameters, such as Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) (93.6%), total nitrogen (93.3%), phosphate (79.8%), magnesium (95.9%), and heavy metals including chromium (92.9%), zinc (82.4%), and iron (63.6%). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis confirmed the effective remediation of carcinogenic aromatic compounds, including benzene derivatives, and the transformation of complex steroids into less toxic metabolites. However, long-chain alkanes largely remained unaffected by the microalgal treatment. These findings suggest that T. deserticola can effectively remediate TWW, offering a promising and sustainable solution for wastewater treatment. Further optimization of treatment conditions may enhance the degradation of persistent compounds.

Author Biographies

Anuradha Devi, Laboratory of Bioremediation and Metagenomics Research (LBMR), Department of Environmental Microbiology (DEM), Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Vidya Vihar, Raebareli Road, Lucknow-226025 (U.P.), India.

Laboratory of Bioremediation and Metagenomics Research (LBMR), Department of Environmental Microbiology (DEM), Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Vidya Vihar, Raebareli Road, Lucknow-226025 (U.P.), India.

Vartika Jain, Analytical Chemistry Division, ASSIST Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, VishvigyanBhawan, P. O. Box-80, M. G. Marg, Lucknow, 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Analytical Chemistry Division, ASSIST Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, VishvigyanBhawan, P. O. Box-80, M. G. Marg, Lucknow, 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India.

Devendra Kumar Patel, Analytical Chemistry Division, ASSIST Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, VishvigyanBhawan, P. O. Box-80, M. G. Marg, Lucknow, 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Analytical Chemistry Division, ASSIST Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, VishvigyanBhawan, P. O. Box-80, M. G. Marg, Lucknow, 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India.

Gubbala Naga Venkata Satyanarayan, Analytical Chemistry Division, ASSIST Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, VishvigyanBhawan, P. O. Box-80, M. G. Marg, Lucknow, 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Analytical Chemistry Division, ASSIST Group, CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, VishvigyanBhawan, P. O. Box-80, M. G. Marg, Lucknow, 226001, Uttar Pradesh, India.

Ram Naresh Bharagava, Laboratory of Bioremediation and Metagenomics Research (LBMR), Department of Environmental Microbiology (DEM), Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Vidya Vihar, Raebareli Road, Lucknow-226025 (U.P.), India.

Laboratory of Bioremediation and Metagenomics Research (LBMR), Department of Environmental Microbiology (DEM), Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Vidya Vihar, Raebareli Road, Lucknow-226025 (U.P.), India.

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