Microbial Biotechnology: A Novel Pathway for the Treatment of Dairy Industrial Wastewater

One of the richest sources of essential nutrients in the human diet are dairy products, which play a significant role in meeting their nutritional needs. Dairy products have an extremely limited shelf life and cause significant environmental harm when they decompose. The intricate materials found in dairy effluents released by industrial facilities include organic and inorganic chemicals, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, chlorides, sulphides, fats, oils, and grease, among others. When dairy effluent is discharged into surrounding water sources, the organic loading that is present has a detrimental effect on the environment. The biological treatment of dairy effluents is more effective than physical and chemical treatment. Utilizing microorganisms or their enzymes, microbial biotechnology restores the polluted environment to its pre-pollution state. Bioremediation is a safe and financially viable technology since it offers an easy maintenance alternative, has a low implantation cost in comparison to conventional treatments, and can remove eutrophic nutrients and organic materials. In order to treat the contamination, bioremediation employs microorganisms with the ability to degrade and utilise pollutants (such as proteins, fatty substances, and lactose in the case of the dairy industry) in the effluents. This prevents the need to remove significant quantities of soil, sediment, or water from the affected area for treatment.