Biotechnology, Bioengineering, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment, Environmental Engineering
19
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Insights into azithromycin biodegradation by freshwater microalgae Chlorella thermophila: Assessing removal kinetics and co-metabolic activity Satya Sundar Mohanty, Kaustubha Mohanty Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, 2025 • Toxicological impact of azithromycin on Chlorella thermophila was studied. • 96 h EC 50 of azithromycin for Chlorella thermophila was 63.6 μg/L. • Azithromycin influenced the biochemical characteristics of microalgal cells. • MDA and SOD of Chlorella thermophila were significantly increased by azithromycin. • Sodium acetate acts as an electron donor and enhanced azithromycin removal. Azithromycin, a widely utilized macrolide antibiotic, presents considerable environmental challenges due to its persistence in aquatic ecosystems, which contributes to ecological imbalances and the emergence of antibiotic resistance. This study aims to investigate the biodegradation potential of Chlorella thermophila , a freshwater microalga, specifically focusing on its capacity for azithromycin removal under controlled experimental conditions. The research evaluates critical parameters, including degradation efficiency, biochemical stress responses, and the impact of co-metabolic substrates. To assess cellular stress responses, growth inhibition, chlorophyll and carotenoid levels, and malondialdehyde activity were meticulously analyzed. The findings reveal that Chlorella thermophila achieved a removal efficiency of 63 ± 1% after 12 days at an initial azithromycin concentration of 100 μg L⁻¹, primarily through biodegradation with minimal alterations to cell surface integrity. Additionally, the study assessed the role of co-metabolic substrates in enhancing degradation, with sodium acetate significantly improving removal efficiency to 81%. This research provides novel insights into the mechanisms underlying microalgal antibiotic degradation and highlights the potential of Chlorella thermophila as a bioremediation agent for emerging contaminants in aquatic environments. By addressing existing gaps in antibiotic removal strategies and demonstrating the viability of microalgal-based remediation, this study contributes to the advancement of sustainable wastewater treatment solutions.
Synthetic Microbial Consortia for Targeted Biodegradation of Butachlor and Related Herbicides Satya Sundar Mohanty, Hara Mohan Jena Industrial Biotechnology, 2025 The study presented here outlines the development of a precise synthetic microbial consortium, termed SMC1, designed to efficiently break down butachlor. The constituent bacterial strains were sourced from various herbicide-contaminated environments and identified as Serratia ureilytica, Enterobacter cloacae, and Pseudomonas putida. Results indicate that SMC1 effectively degrades high concentrations of butachlor in both soil and aqueous environments, overcoming inhibitory effects observed when using individual bacterial strains. SMC1 demonstrated resilience to butachlor concentrations of up to 2000 mg/L, degrading 60% of the initial concentration within 200 hours in aqueous solutions. Furthermore, the consortium exhibited efficient degradation of other commonly used herbicides, such as glyphosate and alachlor. Enhancing the biodegradation efficiency of SMC1 at higher butachlor concentrations was achieved through cell immobilization within alginate beads. This technique facilitated sustained enzymatic activity and prolonged exposure to herbicide contaminants. Comparative analysis between freely suspended cells and immobilized cells revealed complete removal of up to 1500 mg/L of butachlor within 168 hours with immobilized cells, while freely suspended cells achieved only 70% degradation efficiency at the same concentration. These findings highlight the potential of a SMC1 for effective biodegradation of butachlor and other herbicides, suggesting scalability for industrial-scale wastewater treatment applications.
Understanding the environmental fate and removal strategies of phenylurea herbicides: A comprehensive review Satya Sundar Mohanty, Pooja Singh, Shweta Nistala, Kaustubha Mohanty Journal of Hazardous Materials Advances, 2024 • A detail of the herbicides used in various crop cultivation in India. • A thorough analyses of phenylurea herbicide contamination levels in various ecosystems. • Prospect of advanced remediation techniques for effectively mitigating herbicides. Phenylurea herbicides have long been utilized in agricultural practices for their efficacy in weed control. They play a significant role in modern agriculture also, aiding in crop protection. However, their extensive use raises concerns about their environmental fate and potential adverse impacts on ecosystems thus prompting extensive research into their fate and removal strategies. This comprehensive review explores the environmental fate of phenylurea herbicides, focusing on their persistence, mobility, and bioavailability. Furthermore, the ecological consequences of their presence, such as effects on non-target organisms and potential for bioaccumulation, have also been analysed. The review also provides an in-depth analysis of removal strategies, encompassing physical, chemical, and biological methods, highlighting their effectiveness and limitations. The present study offers insights into successful applications and challenges encountered in removing phenylurea herbicides from environmental matrices. This review serves as a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, and environmental practitioners seeking a comprehensive understanding of phenylurea herbicides' and addressing the environmental risks associated with them, guiding efforts toward their safe and effective use while preserving environmental quality and biodiversity.
Comprehensive assessment of microalgal-based treatment processes for dairy wastewater Pooja Singh, Satya Sundar Mohanty, Kaustubha Mohanty Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 2024 The dairy industry is becoming one of the biggest sectors within the global food industry, and these industries use almost 34% of the water. The amount of water used is governed by the production process and the technologies employed in the plants. Consequently, the dairy industries generate almost 0.2–10 L of wastewater per liter of processed milk, which must be treated before being discharged into water bodies. The cultivation of microalgae in a mixotrophic regime using dairy wastewater enhances biomass growth, productivity, and the accumulation of value-added product. The generated biomass can be converted into biofuels, thus limiting the dependence on petroleum-based crude oil. To fulfill the algal biorefinery model, it is important to utilize every waste stream in a cascade loop. Additionally, the harvested water generated from algal biomass production can be recycled for further microalgal growth. Economic and sustainable wastewater management, along with proper reclamation of nutrients from dairy wastewater, is a promising approach to mitigate the problem of water scarcity. A bibliometric study revealing limited work on dairy wastewater treatment using microalgae for biofuel production. And, limited work is reported on the pretreatment of dairy wastewater via physicochemical methods before microalgal-based treatment. There are still significant gaps remains in large-scale cultivation processes. It is also crucial to discover robust strains that are highly compatible with the specific concentration of contaminants, as this will lead to increased yields and productivity for the targeted bio-product. Finally, research on reutilization of culture media in photobioreactor is necessary to augument the productivity of the entire process. Therefore, the incorporation of the microalgal biorefinery with the wastewater treatment concept has great potential for promoting ecological sustainability.
Valorization of Chlorella thermophila biomass cultivated in dairy wastewater for biopesticide production against bacterial rice blight: a circular biorefinery approach Satya Sundar Mohanty, Kaustubha Mohanty BMC Plant Biology, 2023 Biopesticides offer a sustainable and efficient alternative to synthetic pesticides, providing a safer and more eco-friendly solution to pest management. The present work proposes an innovative approach that integrates crop protection and wastewater treatment using thermophilic microalgal strain Chlorella thermophila (CT) cultivated in nutrient-rich dairy wastewater as a growth medium. The microalgae was cultivated mixotrophically and was able to reduce both organic carbon as well as nutrient load of the dairy wastewater efficiently. The integrated circular biorefinery approach combines biomass cultivation, extraction of biopesticide compounds, and conversion to biocrude. The antimicrobial activity of the biopesticidal extracts against Xanthomonas oryzae and Pantoea agglomerans, the causative agent of bacterial rice blight, is assessed through in vitro studies. The biomass extract obtained is able to inhibit the growth of both the above-mentioned plant pathogens successfully. Mass spectroscopy analysis indicates the presence of Neophytadiene that has previously been reported for the inhibition of several pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Several other value-added products such as linoleic acid and nervonic acids were also been detected in the microalgal biomass which have extremely high nutraceutical and medicinal values. Furthermore, the study investigates the potential for co-production of biocrude from the biorefinery process via hydrothermal liquefaction. Overall, the findings of this present work represent an innovative and sustainable approach that combines wastewater treatment and crop protection using microalgal biomass.
Mass transfer study of butachlor biodegradation using immobilized microbial consortium SMC1 in a packed bed bioreactor Satya Sundar Mohanty, D. Karthik Reddy, Hara Mohan Jena Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2022 In the present study, the effect of external mass transfer on the rate of butachlor biodegradation was studied using calcium alginate immobilized microbial consortium SMC1 in a re‐circulated up‐flow packed bed bioreactor in a batch scale. By assuming the biodegradation kinetics to be first order, the effect of various operational parameters such as feed flow rate, substrate concentration, and the external mass transfer on the bio‐removal of butachlor from the aqueous medium has been explored. Using external film diffusion models and Colburn analogy, the mass transfer correlations at several feed rates were worked out. The correlational analysis obtained in the form of JD = 1.341 was found to predict the experimental data precisely.
