Influence of enriched urease producing bacteria from leachate and restaurant wastewater on heavy metal removal

Abstract

The escalation of heavy metal pollution in natural ecosystems due to industrialization presents a critical environmental concern, endangering the well-being of living organisms. Microbially Induced Carbonate Precipitation (MICP) technology, an emerging innovation, has gained attention from the scientific community for its potential in biocementation and bioremediation applications. However, a substantial gap in understanding exists regarding the utilization of ureolytic microbial strains from waste sources capable of effectively immobilizing high concentrations of heavy metals. This study endeavors to explore the latent potential of indigenous ureolytic bacteria derived from leachate and restaurant wastewater, possessing bioremediation capabilities for heavy metal immobilization. The investigation includes microbial screening, physiological characterization of ureolytic bacteria, assessment of their tolerance levels, and evaluation of heavy metal removal efficacy through Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) analysis. Notably, the results reveal that ureolytic bacteria from restaurant wastewater are more tolerant to Cd2+ concentrations compared to their leachate counterparts, manifesting optimum conductivity, pH, and optical density (OD). More so, AAS analysis demonstrates the restaurant wastewater-derived sample's remarkable proficiency in Cd2+ removal, achieving a substantial 95% removal rate, significantly outperforming the leachate wastewater sample's removal rate of 53%.