Project R-16214

Bioremediation of lipid wastewater using Bacillus bacteria immobilised on rice husk biochar (Research)

Lipid wastewater consists of fats and oils, along with a wide spectrum of organic and inorganic substances dissolved in suspension. They are considered some of the most dangerous wastewater, as they pose serious environmental and health threats to ecosystems, affecting flora and fauna. Currently, new, cost-effective, efficient, and sustainable wastewater treatment solutions are being sought that utilize existing materials and technologies, facilitating their adoption in low- and middle-income countries and improving public health. Conventional methods used for oily wastewater treatment include gravity separation, dissolved air flotation, demulsification, coagulation-flocculation and biological (aerobic and anaerobic) treatment. This research proposes a sustainable solution for oily wastewater treatment by using Bacillus bacteria immobilized in biochar made from rice husk. This approach seeks to improve the efficiency of bioremediation by overcoming the limitations of free bacterial cells, while using agro-industrial waste as a porous and costeffective vehicle. The main objective is to evaluate the efficiency of this immobilized system by evaluating the lipolytic activity of selected strains, biofilm formation and stability of the immobilized bacteria. The methodology includes microbiological characterization, biochar preparation, immobilization by physical adsorption and physicochemical and microbiological evaluation by techniques such as FTIR, SEM and differential colorimetry.

13 November 2025 - 30 June 2029