K.M. ELIZABETH AND B. SR/VIDYA
Abstract
The physicochemical analysis of Hindustan Zinc effluents, both treated and untreated was performed by employing the standard methodology. The physical parameters such as pH, conductivity were beyond the permissible limit in both the effluents. The microbiological parameters such as MPN test showed no coliforms but the total plate count had exceeded the normal limit. The D.0 was very less in the effluents indicating the presence of organic pollution. Other parameters like total hardness, Ca hardness, Mg hardness, total solids, total dissolved solids, suspended solids and zinc were beyond the permissible limit in untreated effluent and some of these parameters were increased and crossed the normal limit after treatment. There was no iron, nickel, ammonia, hexavalent chromium,and phenol in these effluents. Bioremediation of zinc metal from untreated effluent showed that viable Staphylococcus species could remove 85.3 0/0 and immobilized Z-GNB-II could remove 86.6% of zinc. The maximum amount of zinc removal was observed by Clostridium species i.e. 94.2%. These results indicate that both treated and untreated effluents of Hindustan Zinc limited were polluted. The bacteria used in this study were proved to be the potential zinc removers.