@ Gaurav, Bioremediation process can be enhanced by using microbial consortium than of single strain, if they are compatible, and that has specific characteristics to degrade the contaminant. Actually, consortium is a combination of microbes, therefore in combination mode they can dealt all the contaminant which is not possible for a single strain. For example, a Microbial Consortium is a carrier based product which contains N fixing, P & Zn solubilizing and plant growth promoting microbes as a single formulation. The novelty of this technology is that farmers need not apply N fixing, phosphorous solubilizing and growth promoting bacterial inoculants individually.

@J. C. Tarafdar, Thank you Sir 😊😊

bioremediation process usually improved by using consortium of microbes due to the variation of degrading or remediating metabolic passway of each one of used microbes. for instance, some microbes may be convert some pollutants into certain compounds as a final product of their metabolism, these produced compounds can be used as substrate by other microbes which convert it into more simpler molecules. so the final result of bioremediation or biodegradation processes is usually more better by using consortium than single strain.

Hello Dear,

The possibility of bioremediation increases while using microbes consortium than a single Microbe. But it not means a single Microbe can't be used for bioremediation.

It's depends on purpose and on characteristics of the contaminants.

If remediated water/soil have contaminants of single kind then a single Microbe can be enough.

While in remediation of water/soil having unknown or various contaminants then it's wise to use consortium as different microbes have their own pathways to deals with their respective contaminants.

All the best.

-AKM

Thanks Abhas Kumar Maharana and Mohamed H. Kalaba

Microbial consortium is better because it comprises of different microbes with different characteristics and abilities and capacity to degrade different components of the contaminants except where these various abilities are transferred into one microbe by plasmid transfer as Ananda did with his multi plasmid oil degrading Pseudomonas.

Hi Gaurav,

Not only for bio-remediation of complex waste/waste waters containing multiple contaminants/pollutants, a microbial consortium having rightly chosen strains will (may) be more effective than a single strain for other complex bio-processes too. This is because if the microbial members of the consortium are positively interacting ones they will work in a cooperative way leading to removal of more polluting compounds that can be destroyed by a single one. Microbial interaction play a significant role in such cases. If you wish you can look into this publication, it may help you to understand the internal mechanism of your system.

Mixed consortia in bioprocesses: role of microbial interactions. https://idp.springer.com/authorize/casa?redirect_uri=https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s00253-016-7448-1.pdf&casa_token=rXvcHshsLKIAAAAA:MLnuX794CR6zAGoprQDvhTvcABmWEfseXnjzGL28UfDT2uipOMG1SJ6n0jovelxY2cbHX34suKhspLEqJXc

Regards,

Shiladitya

Hi Gaurav,

Considering a pollutant "A". In the process of degradation (e.g A = B + C),

a singular microbe "X" may not have the capability to degrade the initial structure of a complex pollutant "A". But has the ability to act on "B" or "C". Therefore, a microbial consortium with a microbe which has the potential to degrade "A" into "B" and "C" is necessary in order to enable "X" to continue the process of degradation of the pollutant.

Dear Gaurav,

There are several advantages where microbial consortia could enhance the bioremediation of aquatic pollutants. As other members have commented, a consortium can play a role as a “metabolic network” where each species of the consortium could degrade a particular pollutant. This metabolic network could also imply that a species could “attack” in one way the pollutant and other species could continue degrading the product of the first one. Furthermore, the degrading product of one species could act as an inductor for other species. Particularly, when using fungi in consortia, you can enhance the production of isoenzymes or induce the secondary metabolism of the fungal species.

However, the use of consortia also depends on the particular pollutant, its degradation by enzymes and the catalysis as itself. So, sometimes consortia are not good since the individual species could degrade the pollutant individually or the interaction between the microorganisms could inhibit some enzymes or the production of co-factors or compounds that are essential for the degradation catalysis of the specific pollutant. Here are some papers in which you can look at specific information:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0964830518310953

https://popups.uliege.be/1780-4507/index.php?id=16675

Kind regards,

Felipe Mejía

Bioremediation is a multistage process. Mostly one bacterial strain cannot effectively degrad a chemical contaminant to non hazardous forms. Different strains can help in transformation of the contaminant as different forms of it's degraded products thereby achieve a complete biodegradation. Furthermore different microbial interaction (like co-metabolism) also play a crucial role in effective biodegradation. Therefore, the selection of different strains of microbes for the consortium is very important.

We can explain that from the side of "bioremediation of soil contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbon for example diesel":

The mixed bacterial culture gave a better rate of biodegradation because there is no a single strain of bacteria with limited metabolism ability for the decomposition of all components within diesel. The individual isolates metabolize a limited range of hydrocarbon substrates and diesel is made of a blend of compounds, so the biodegradation of it needs a mixture of different bacterial groups with broad enzymatic capabilities competent to degrade a wider range of hydrocarbons. In fact, a mixed culture of the bacterial community is required to complete the biodegradation of petroleum contaminants because the hydrocarbon mixture varies markedly in the volatility, solubility, tendency to biodegradable and the certain enzymes cannot be gained in a single organism.

Hi Gaurav,

If wastewater is discharged in any water body, following are the major problems associated with it, which we have to tackle with Bioremediation:

If we study all these processes it's obvious that single bacterial culture alone doesn't have capability to treat or reduce all these contaminants. Some contaminants will be controlled under anaerobic conditions like odor generation, nutrients will be best removed by bacteria capable of growing under anoxic conditions, and organic matter & O/G will be removed under aerobic conditions. Hence a consortium of various bacterial cultures will provide the best solution of wastewater treatment. These bacteria must be compatible with each other, hence selection of bacteria is the most important task in producing an effective consortium for bioremediation.

According to my experience in this field the Strict and Facultative bacteria make the Best Consortium for Bioremediation.

If you need any further support for any of your projects please do write to me on my official mail mentioned in my profile.

Existing research indicates that biofilm communities in mixed cultures do not go for colony competition, and in turn has a symbiosis prospect for colonization, and contamination removal.