26.6 Biotechnological Approaches for the Removal of ECs

403

Table 26.2

Efficiency of removal of EC using biofiltration.

S. No.

Emerging contaminant

Removal efficiency (%)

1

Cashmeran

68

2

Ibuprofen

86

3

Benzothiazole, 2-(methylthio)

66

4

Tributyl phosphate

22

5

Methyl dihydrojasmonate

97

6

Tri(2-chloroethyl)phosphate

2

7

Diazone

8

8

Caffeine

49

9

Galaxolide

89

10

Tonalide

90

11

Terbutryn

94

12

Carbamazepine

5

13

Naproxen

72

14

Oxybenzone

89

15

Triclosan

87

16

Ketoprofen

99

17

Diclofenac

93

Biosorption is easy and cost-efficient and can be used for the environmental clean-

ing. This process can be used for reducing heavy metal pollution from industries

and agriculture. Most common biosorbents used for the sorption include bacteria

(Bacillus subtilis and Magnetospirillum gryphiswaldense), fungi (Rhizopus arrhizus),

yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), algae (Chaetomorpha linum), and marine microal-

gae (seaweed). There are other bioremediation methods, and some of them have

been discussed below.

26.6.4.1

Bioaugmentation

Bioaugmentation is the process of adding cultured microorganisms into the sub-

surface of the contaminants for biodegrading specific soil and groundwater con-

taminants. Two factors that affect the use of bioaugmentation: (i) non-indigenous

cultures rarely compete well enough with an indigenous population to develop and

sustain and (ii) most soils with long-term exposure to biodegradable waste have

indigenous microorganisms which act as effective degraders if the land treatment

is well managed.

26.6.4.2

Bioreactors

The bioreactors are used in the treatment of EC when the amount of waste is small.

They can be used to treat slurries or liquids. Slurry or aqueous reactors are used