Bioremediation

Abstract

Synthetic dyes are extensively used in several industries and the dyes are great concern for the ecosystem. During the dyeing process, a certain percentage of the used dye is released into the wastewater, causing severe environmental and health hazards. The physiochemical methods are not sustainable due to high-cost, high-energy requirements and hazardous by-products. Among all the alternative technologies to conventional wastewater treatment, bioremediation has emerged as the most desirable approach to clean up the environment and to restore its original status. The ability of microbes in decolorizing the textile effluents is significant. The decolorization can be further enhanced using immobilization techniques. Immobilization increases the stability and reusability of the microorganisms. The microorganisms can be entrapped in calcium alginate beads, that can be used to construct a packed bed reactor in which dye decolorization can be carried out on a large scale. Thus, bioremediation serves as an effective, eco-friendly solution for the pollution caused by textile dye effluents.