MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES IN LAUNDRY WASTEWATER AND THEIR ROLE IN BIODEGRADATION OF SYNTHETIC DETERGENTS

Abstract

The widespread use of synthetic detergents in household laundry processes has led to their accumulation in wastewater, posing significant environmental challenges due to their persistence and potential toxicity. This study aimed to investigate the microbial communities present in laundry wastewater and evaluate their role in the biodegradation of synthetic detergents. Wastewater samples were collected from domestic laundry facilities, and microbial communities were isolated and characterized using culture dependent techniques. 52 bacteria and 8 fungi were isolated from a total of 20 laundry wash water samples. Most of the bacterial isolates were Pseudomonas species, although other bacterial species like Bacillus, Staphylococcus, Escherichia, Acinetobacter, and Enterobacter spp were isolated.