Aquatic pollution is a burning issue nowadays due to urbanization and industrialization. Industrial wastewater (IWW) contains pollutants that pose a great risk to the environment and human beings and is a big challenge for industries. The remediation of IWW by microorganisms is an environmentally friendly technique. This study was carried out to evaluate the pollution of IWW and to use consortia of Bacillus pakistanensis, Lysinibacillus composti, and Cladophora glomerata for bioremediation. The IWW was obtained from the Hayatabad Industrial Estate and was evaluated for physicochemical parameters and metal concentration. A pot experiment was carried out for two weeks to assess the efficiency of the developed consortia. The IWW and tap water (control) were treated with three different consortia (Bacillus pakistanensis-Cladophora glomerata (CT1, E1), Lysinibacillus composti-Cladophora glomerata (CT2, E2), and Bacillus pakistanensis-Lysinibacillus composti-Cladophora glomerata (CT3, E3). The three pots (CT1, CT2, and CT3) serving as the control were provided with tap water, and the three experimental pots (E1, E2, and E3) were provided with IWW. After treatment, substantial reductions were obtained in the following parameters and percentages: colour 85.7%, electrical conductivity (EC) 40.8%, turbidity 69.6%, sulphide 78.5%, fluoride 38.8%, chloride 62.9%, biological oxygen demand (BOD) 66%, chemical oxygen demand (COD) 81.8%, total suspended solids (TSSs) 82.7%, total dissolved solids (TDSs) 24.6%, Ca hardness 37.2%, Mg hardness 50%, and total hardness 39%. The samples of water were also examined for metal concentrations using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The selected species removed 98.2% of Mn, 94% of Cu, 97.7% of Cr, 91.6% of Cd, 92.8% of Co, 79.6% of Ag, 82.6% of Ni, 98% of Ca, 90% of Mg, and 82.1% of Pb. The BCF values showed by the consortia for Mn, Cu, Cr, Cd, Co, Ag, Ni, Ca, Mg, and Pb were 91.8, 67, 97.5, 83.3, 85.7, 48.1, 80.4, 84.3, 82.5, and 80.3%, respectively. The t-test analysis showed that the treatment with the selected species significantly decreased the metal concentrations in the IWW (p ≤ 0.05). Overall, the study concludes that metal concentration in the water was decreased significantly by the consortia of algae-bacteria.

Aquatic bodies contaminated by heavy metals (HMs) are one of the leading issues due to rapidly growing industries. The remediation of using algae and hydrophytes acts as an environmentally friendly and cost effective. This study was performed to investigate the pollution load, especially HMs, in the wastewater of the Gadoon Industrial Estate and to utilize the hydrophytes (Typha latifolia (TL) and Eicchornia crassipes (EI)) and algae (Zygnema pectiantum (ZP) and Spyrogyra species (SS)) as bioremediators. The wastewater was obtained and assessed for physiochemical parameters before treating with the selected species. The pot experiment was performed for 40 days. Then the wastewater samples and selected species were obtained from each pot to analyze the metal removal efficiency and assess for metal concentrations using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The dissolved oxygen (DO; 114 mg/L), total suspended solids (TSS; 89.30 mg/L), electrical conductivity (EC; 6.35 mS/cm), chemical oxygen demand (COD) (236 mg/L), biological oxygen demand (BOD; 143 mg/L), and total dissolved solids (TDS; 559.67 mg/L), pH (6.85) were analyzed. The HMs were noted as Zn (5.73 mg/L) and Cu (7.13 mg/L). The wastewater was then treated with the species, and significant reductions were detected in physicochemical characteristics of the wastewater such as DO (13.15–62.20%), TSS (9.18–67.99%), EC (74.01–91.18%), COD (25.84–73.30%), BOD (21.67–73.42%), and TDS (14.02–95.93%). The hydrophytes and algae removed up to 82.19% of the Zn and 85.13% of the Cu from the wastewater. The study revealed that the hydrophytes and algae significantly decreased the HM levels in the wastewater (p ≤ 0.05). The study found TL, EI, ZP, and SS as the best hyper accumulative species for Zn and Cu removal from wastewater. The HMs were removed in the order of Cu > Zn. The most efficient removal for Cu was found by Typha latifolia and Zn by Zygnema pectiantum. It was concluded that bioremediation is an environmentally friendly and cost-effective technique that can be used for the treatment of wastewater due to the efficiency of algae and hydrophytes species in terms of HM removal.

Water and soil polluted by heavy metals (HMs) are the primary problem due to rapidly increasing urbanization and industrialization. For the treatment of polluted soil, phytoremediation turns into a cost-effective and eco-friendly technique. The current research aimed to examine the load of pollution, specifically HMs, in sediment and wastewater (WW) of the GadoonAmazai Industrial Estate (GAIE), Pakistan and compare the ability of native grass species Cynodon dactylon and Digiteria sanguinalis for the phytoaccumulation of HMs. The industrially polluted soil was analysed for HMs using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) and compared with healthy soil (irrigated by freshwater), which served as a control. The HM accumulation was considerably higher in the soil irrigated with WW than in control soil samples. The most substantial metal pollutant was manganese (Mn), which accumulated up to 2491.7 mg/kg in the WW irrigated soil. For assessing the bioremoval efficiency of grass species, pot experimentation was performed for 90 days. Soil samples and grasses were collected from the pots to examine the HM removal efficiency. A significant reduction was noted in physicochemical characteristics of the soil, such as electrical conductivity, total organic matter, phosphorus, potassium, and saturation. The grasses removed up to 59.0% of the Cu and 59.9% of Mn from the soil. The highest bioconcentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TF) of Cu were observed for D. sanguinalis. While the highest BCF and TF of Mn were obtained for C. dactylon. The research showed that the grass significantly (p ≤ 0.05) reduced HM in soil samples. Moreover, the selected grasses found a higher capability to accumulate HM in the roots than in the shoot. The maximum Cu removal was obtained by D. sanguinalis and Mn by C. dactylon. The research study concluded that phytoremediation using D. sanguinalis and C. dactylon is an eco-friendly and cost-effective method that can be utilized for soil remediation.

Humans are frequently exposed to heavy metals (HMs) and pathogens via assimilation of contaminated drinking water all over the world, especially in developing countries. This study aimed to evaluate drinking water quality and related human health risks in spring and tap water in Hangu District, Pakistan. Standard methods were employed for gathering samples (10 from spring water and 10 from tap water) from the predominant drinking water sources in the study areas. The samples were assessed for human health risk, HMs, physicochemical, and microbiological evaluations. In the study site, the water supplies were polluted with faecal coliform, demonstrating high bacterial pollution. A total of 72 bacterial isolates were obtained from water samples, 40 from spring water, and 32 from tap water samples. The physiochemical parameters such as turbidity (2.10-4.65 NTU), total suspended solids (3.80-5.30 mg/L), electrical conductivity (498.3-569.9 µS/cm), COD (4-9 mg/L), BOD (6-11 mg/L), Total Dissolved Solids (477.8-638.3mg/L), pH (7.2-7.5), sulphate (187.2-269.8 mg/L), nitrate (0.43-0.62 mg/L), sodium (255.1-238.4mg/L), chloride (217.7-290.4 mg/L), Ca hardness (149.1-228.0mg/L), Mg hardness (122.6—6136.7mg/L) and total hardness (412.2-456.6 mg/L) were analyzed for both water samples. The HMs concentrations, such as lead, Manganese, Chromium, and Cadmium, were assessed in drinking water by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry and then compared with limits set by WHO. The HMs were noted as Cd (0.011-0.017 mg/L), Cr (0.017-0.088 mg/L), Mn (0.015-0.083 mg/L), and Pb (0.003-0.008 mg/L). According to the World Health Organization drinking water quality standard, the majority of physical and chemical characteristics fell within acceptable limits.. However, the values of sodium ions, nitrate, sulphate, and chloride ions were beyond the limits of the WHO in some water samples. The potential health risks of HMs to the native population were also studied. The concentrations of all selected metals were within permissible limits. Health risk indicators like the health risk index and the chronic daily intake were measured for children and adults. The CDIs of metals were observed in the order of Cr > Cd >Mn > Pb and Mn > Cr > Cd > Pb for spring and tap water, respectively. The HRIs of HMs were observed in order of Cd > Mn > Pb >Cr and Cd >Mn > Cr > Pb for spring and tap water, respectively. There was no health threat to the indigenous community because the HRIs of the HMs in the drinking water for adults as well as children were less than 1.