Journal of Environmental Biology

Cultivation of a bacterial consortium with the potential to degrade total petroleum hydrocarbon using waste activated sludge

S. Sivakumar¹, Y.C. Song²*, S.H. Kim³ and S.H. Jang¹

¹Department of Bioenvironmental Energy, College of Natural Resource and Life Science, Pusan National University,

1268-50, Miryang-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, 627 706, Republic of Korea

²Department of Environmental Engineering, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, 1, Dongsam dong, Young-do Gu,

Busan 606-791, Republic of Korea.

³SGR Tech. Co., Ltd., 796-7, Daedae-ri, Ungchon-myeon, Ulju-gun, Ulsan 689-872, Republic of Korea

*Corresponding Author E-mail: soyc@kmou.ac.kr 

Publication Data

Paper received:

14 October 2014

Revised received:

05 February 2015

Accepted:

20 March 2015

Abstract

Waste activated sludge was aerobically treated to demonstrate multiple uses such as cultivating an oil degrading bacterial consortium; studying the influence of a bulking agent (peat moss) and total petroleum hydrocarbon concentration on bacterial growth and producing a soil conditioner using waste activated sludge. After 30 days of incubation, the concentration of oil-degrading bacteria was 4.3x10⁸ CFU g^-1 and 4.5x10⁸ CFU g^-1 for 5 and 10 g of total petroleum hydrocarbon, respectively, in a mixture of waste activated sludge (1 kg) and peat moss (0.1 kg). This accounts for approximately 88.4 and 91.1%, respectively, of the total heterotrophic bacteria (total-HB). The addition of bulking agent enhanced total-HB population and total petroleum hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial population. Over 90% of total petroleum hydrocarbon degradation was achieved by the mixture of waste activated sludge, bulking agent and total petroleum hydrocarbon. The results of physico-chemical parameters of the compost (waste activated sludge with and without added peat moss compost) and a substantial reduction in E. coli showed that the use of this final product did not exhibit risk when used as soil conditioner. Finally, the present study demonstrated that cultivation of total petroleum hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial consortium and production of compost from waste activated sludge by aerobic treatment was feasible. ?????  

 Key words

Bulking agent, Oil degrading bacteria, Total Petroleum hydrocarbon, Waste activated sludge 

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