5. Bioremediation of Distillery Effluent: Present Status and Future Prospects

Environmental degradation due to industrial growth is putting pressure on the society and water resources near to the industry. In order to improve and protect the environment from pollution, sustainability between environment and development is vital. Environmental laws are given general applicability, and their enforcement has been increasingly stricter. So, in terms of health, environment, and economy, the fight against pollution has become a major issue. The pollution increase, industrialization, and rapid economic development impose severe risks to the availability and quality of water resources. Distilleries are considered as one of the most polluting and growth-oriented industries in the world. Distilleries consumed a huge amount of water in the manufacturing of alcohol and produce a large amount of wastewater which contains high organic load, has low pH, and is dark brown in color. This wastewater alters the physical, chemical, and biological characteristic of water and soil if thrown directly outside without treatment. In the present investigation, emphasis has been given to reduce the concentration of pollutants of distillery effluents through bioremediation techniques to meet the norms of environmental regulatory authorities. Biodegradation is one of the best techniques to reduce organic load from water bodies, but it has certain limitation. Taking this into consideration, developing an effective treatment plan for distilleries, i.e., coagulation followed by mixed culture aerobic treatment (fungal and algae), seems to be the viable cost-effective and eco-friendly technique.