Efficient bioremediation of tannery wastewater by monostrains and consortium of marine Chlorella sp. and Phormidium sp.

This study evaluated the bioremediation potential of two marine microalgae Chlorella sp. and Phormidium sp., both individually and in consortium, to reduce various pollutants in tannery wastewater (TW). The microalgae were grown in hazardous 100% TW for 20 days, and the reductions in biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorous (TP), chromium (Cr) and total dissolved solids (TDS) of the wastewater monitored periodically. Both marine isolates reduced the BOD and COD by ≥90% in the consortium and by over 80% individually. Concentrations of TN and TP were reduced by 91.16% and 88%, respectively, by the consortium. Removal/biosorption efficiencies for chromium ranged from 90.17-94.45%. Notably, the TDS, the most difficult to deal with, were reduced by >50% within 20 days by the consortium. The novel consortium developed in this study reduced most of the ecologically harmful components in the TW to within the permissible limits of discharge in about 5 to 15 days of treatment. Thus, both the tested marine strains of Chlorella and Phormidium sp. are promising for bioremediating/detoxifying TW and adequately improve the water quality for safe discharge into open water bodies, in particular when used as a consortium.