Potential of Indigenous Bacteria from Textile Industry Treatment Plants for COD and BOD Reduction in Wastewater

The textile industry generates approximately 20% of global industrial wastewater, characterized by high organic loads that result in elevated Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD). This study investigates indigenous bacterial isolates from textile wastewater treatment plants and evaluates their potential to reduce COD and BOD levels. Twenty-three bacterial isolates were obtained from sediment and effluent samples, of which seven demonstrated strong biodegradation potential. Under optimized conditions, the bacterial consortium reduced COD by 57.11% and BOD by 99% after 72 hours of treatment. The isolates were characterised using morphological, Gram staining, and biochemical analyses, which identified Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Chryseomonas as potential bioremediation agents. These findings highlight the promise of indigenous bacterial consortia as an eco-friendly alternative for improving the efficiency of textile wastewater treatment.