Optimization of the chromium (Cr+6) reduction from waterways using chemically and bacterially treated agro-waste.

Heavy metals, a major source of pollution in the environment, pose a substantial threat due to their non-biodegradability and ability to accumulate in living organisms, causing health problems. Recently, researchers have been searching for cost-effective and safe ways to remove heavy metals from polluted waterways using agricultural waste substitutes. The present study focused on the low-cost treatments for the reduction of chromium Cr+6 metal from the effluent, wherein it has been found that chemically and bacterially treated agro-waste had increased heavy metal ion adsorption capabilities. A sequential optimization of the process parameters was attempted using Plackett-Burman design (PBD) and central composite design of response surface methodology (CCD-RSM) for the maximum reduction of the chromium metal from the effluent. A total of eight parameters were screened out using a 12-run PBD experiment. Out of the eight parameters, time, HCl, NaOH, and bacterial treatments were found to be significantly affecting the maximum reduction of Cr+6 from the effluent. To investigate the interactions' effects of the chosen parameters, they were evaluated using CCD-RSM. Maximum 74% Cr+6 reduction was achieved under the optimum treatment to rice husk of HCl 4.52 N, NaOH 3.53 N, bacterial suspension 7.41%, and with an interaction time 14.32 min using 30 run CCD-RSM experiment. A scanning electron microscope was used to confirm the effects of selected variables on the agro-waste for the Cr+6 reductions, as well as a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer.

Current approaches toward the removal of methylene blue dye from synthetic textile effluent using bacterial treated agricultural waste absorbent through statistical design.

Massive amounts of wastewater are produced by the textile industry, and this waste needs to be appropriately managed. Agricultural waste wheat straw (WS), a biosorbent that is both economically available and environmentally acceptable, was used in this work to treat textile effluent. Microbial treated modification approaches were utilized for WS to study the dye removal from textile wastewater. Total 15 different isolates were screened for the dye degradation ability from Surat textile industrial effluent. The most significant deterioration was seen in PPSUHB3 when compared to other isolates. The amount of methylene blue dye removal was examined using the isolate PPSUHB3 due to its high efficiency. Based on 16s rDNA sequencing, it was predicted that the isolate PPSUHB3 was Bacillus licheniformis, having great capacity to degrade dye & wheat straw by producing efficient enzyme. The isolate showed the highest decolorization % of MB dye during optimization with WS absorbent which was verified using FTIR and SEM. The dye removal process parameters were statistically optimized using a central composite design (CCD). Wheat straw with particle sizes of 180-250 mm was discovered to be a possible adsorbent for the removal of colour. The maximum removal of MB (55.89%) was obtained using a statistical experimental design at pH 6.36, Temperature 44.6 °C, and Bacteria Concentration 3.04%. The created model is highly significant, according to the ANOVA, which found an R2 value of 0.9812 for it. The validation experiment revealed that the experimental and projected results were strikingly similar. The study found that using bacterial treated wheat straw as an adsorbent may remove wastewater that contains colours at a low cost.

Evaluation of the Co-inoculation Effect of Rhizobium and Plant Growth Promoting Non-rhizobial Endophytes on Vigna radiata.

A unique feature of leguminous plants is the establishment of symbiotic bacterial genera inside root or stem nodules that is being recently re-evaluated for investigating the micro-flora discrete to nitrogen fixation. The present research was carried out to evaluate non-rhizobial endophytes and Rhizobium from root nodules of Vigna radiata and ascertain their co-inoculation effect in pot and field conditions. Each strain displayed one or more plant growth-promoting behaviors in varying degrees. The ability to fix nitrogen was observed in all strains; however, a noticeable enhancement in nitrogen fixation was observed when all three strains were co-inoculated. All three strains were found to possess the nifH gene, which plays a key role in the nitrogen fixation process. However, only Rhizobium sp. AAU B3 also had the nodD gene present. Furthermore, combinations of all three strains produced the highest levels of phosphate solubilization, potash mobilisation, Indole Acetic Acid (IAA), and the stress-relieving enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase. Interestingly, the succession of the root nodule formation within root hairs seedlings was observed under a fluorescence microscope and two NRE were found to be located inside the root nodules, indicating that they are endophytic. Additionally, a pot and field investigation revealed that the combination of chosen Rhizobium and NRE strains had a favorable impact on the growth and yield characteristics of a green gram. Selected bio-inoculants can reduce the utilization of synthetic fertilizers by 75%, which might lead to the restoration of the soil's health. Therefore, these bio-inoculants might be explored commercially for sustainable agriculture production.

Retting of banana pseudostem fibre using Bacillus strains to get excellent mechanical properties as biomaterial in textile & fiber industry.

Banana pseduostem (BP) fibre, sometimes known as banana fibre, is a new natural fibre with potential commercial applications in the textile and fibre industries. Softening these fibres might enhance their mechanical qualities, allowing them to be used in more textile applications. The current research looks at the softening of banana fibres (Musa paradisiaca L) utilising a variety of chemical (NaOH & HCl) and bacterial treatments. Physical (Hygroscopicity, Density, Linear density), chemical (cellulose, Hemi-cellulose and Lignin) and mechanical parameters (Peak load, Breaking Elongation, Tenacity) of the treated fibres were measured as per normal technique with raw banana fibres. The tenacity (g/tex) of microbial treated (Bacillus licheniformis) (7 days) fibre was found to be greater, at 6.33, but the average peak elongation (%) of (Bacillus Subtilis) was found to be higher, at 8.2. The lignin % of untreated Banana fibres (15.98%) was reduced in fibres treated with 5N of NaOH (10.75%), 5N HCl (8.73%), Bacillus aryabhattai (11.4%), Bacillus licheniformis (12.54%) and Bacillus Subtilis (13.56%). In contrast to raw banana fibre, the mechanical qualities of treated fibres showed incremental results. Finally, the study found that treating banana fibre with NaOH, HCl and Bacillus sp. had a substantial impact on the physiochemical parameters. SEM and FTIR methods were used to validate the efficiency of the bacterial treatment.