World Congress on

BIOTECHNOLOGY-2011
doi:10.4172/2155-6199.1000001

Biotechnology
Bioremediation of Nitro explosive- Diaminodinitroethylene (FOX-7) containing wastewater
Vrushali Patil, P P Kanekar and S S Sarnaik
MACS-Agharkar Research Institute,India
Explosives available in world market have many types of chemical combinations. One of the major groups of explosives is nitroexplosives. New explosive molecule with inherent lower sensitivities, DADNE (1, 1-diamino-2, 2-dinitro ethylene) (FOX-7) can provide safe handling of ammunition in peace, and war. FOX7 is more powerful, safer and environmental friendly explosive. The wastewater generated in the production of FOX-7 is found to be acidic in nature and contains nitrates, intermediate compounds and residual FOX7 exerting toxic effects. Hence bioremediation of such waste water is studied. Micro-organisms utilizing FOX-7, were isolated by enrichment and adaptation technique using soil samples collected from the premises of FOX-7 producing unit from a Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO) i.e. High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) situated nearby Pune and garden soil from ARI campus using FOX-7 containing wastewater. The FOX-7 wastewater was acidic in nature having pH <1, containing ~2252 mg/L nitrates and 3300 mg/L FOX-7. Among the 16 isolates obtained from soil samples exposed to FOX-7 containing wastewater by enrichment technique, five isolates could remove 24% nitrates and 27% FOX-7 in 72 hrs. Bioremediation of FOX-7 wastewater was carried out with respect to environmental factors e.g. temperature, pH, carbon source, nitrogen source and concentration of wastewater pollutants. Three isolates showed optimum removal of FOX-7 at 300C, pH 7, 0.05g % glucose concentration, 0.05g % peptone concentration and 3 days of incubation in the range of 27-38%. These organisms can be used for bioremediation of FOX-7 containing wastewater.

21-23 March 2011

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