PHYSIOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND HEAVY METAL TOLERANCE POTENTIAL OF BACTERIA FROM TEXTILE EFFLUENTS

Abstract

Heavy metal tolerant bacterial species were isolated from the textile effluents collected from Faisalabad, Pakistan. Thirty samples were subjected to heavy metal analysis. Nickel and Cobalt were selected for further study on the basis of their predominant concentration in all samples. Thirteen samples were screened out as positive for Ni tolerant bacteria and 03 of them had typical characteristics which tolerated Ni up to 08 mM. These species were identified as AMIC1 (Klebsiella spp.), AMIC2 (Bacillus spp.) and AMIC3 (Bacillus spp.). These indigenous strains exhibited pronounced tolerance to Ni and Co and showed multi metal resistance (MMR) potential. Bacteria isolated from sample SarDP2 were able to tolerate Co up to 06mM and exhibited MMR to Ni, Co and Cr (1:1:1) up to 5.5mM. Isolates from RgrDP3 were able to tolerate Co up to 07mM and showed MMR to Ni, Co and Cr (1:1:1) up to 4.5mM. Similarly, isolates from SarDP5 were able to tolerate Co up to 6.5mM and exhibited MMR to Ni, Co and Cr (1:1:1) up to 4.5mM. It was concluded that these species had significant heavy metal tolerance potential and may be used for the development of effective bioremediation agents to detoxify textile effluents at industrial surroundings within natural environments.