Microbial Techniques for Clean Water
Published on by Pradeep Kumar Sivan, CEO in Technology
Bioengineering techniques by the application of microbial techniques to create clean water
Symbio Greentech Pvt.Ltd. at EKTA Incubation Centre – MAKAUT supported by Department of Science & Technology (DST) Govt. of India has developed an innovative bioengineering technique on water pollution management by using natural materials to protect & restore our natural resources
The integrated approach for restoration of contaminated canal using natural fibres & biomass as growing substrate for hosting the beneficial microbial consortium and growing medium for plants. The entire system work as bioremediation and phytoremediation platform for reclamation of canal water through in-situ water treatment by reduction of organic & inorganic load and decontamination by a natural process before discharging into the river.
Restoration of Contaminated Canals & Water Bodies
There are two ways of improving the quality of polluted water. One is to control the input of pollutants, particularly N and P, and organic pollutants to the water body, and another is to remove these substances from water.
As soluble N and particularly P are usually considered to be key elements in water pollution, which normally leads to blue-green algal bloom in inland waterways and lakes, the removal of these elements by vegetation is a most cost-effective and environmentally friendly method of controlling algal growth.
The bioengineering techniques incorporated with beneficial microbes (BM), natural fiber (Jute / Coir Geotextiles), biomass substrates and sustainable plants can reverse these situations in a natural and economic way. The beneficial microorganism accelerates the natural decomposition of organic compounds which produces bioactive substances and eliminates pathogenic microorganisms through a process of fermentation. Pathogenic microorganisms promote decomposition and controls and ultimately near elimination of the production of harmful gases that contaminate water and produce bad odours.
The water pollution management process is based on bioremediation and phytoremediation by the application of Coco / Jute geotextiles as a bio mulch to host the microbial colony. The beneficial microbes are degrading the organic contaminants and the sustainable plants will act as a biofilter and soil stabilization and absorb the toxic components in the water.
The Jute Geotextiles mulching would act as a mulching for biomass base and the Jute fibers and the biomass substrates will act as a host for microbes to and support plant rapid growth.
The biomass substrates and the coir / jute logs charged with Beneficial Microbes (BM) & the mixture of the substrate would cause rapid growth of plants. The type of plants which are proposed to be used in the restoration having the capability to produce heavy root system for acting as host for the beneficial microbes for proper activity to stabilize the biomass bed by root anchoring and phytostabilization.
Media
Taxonomy
- Water Pollution
- Microbiology
- Restoration
- Integrated Water Management
- Water microbiology