ASSESSING POLLUTANT SORPTION EFFICIENCY OF MODIFIED AND UNMODIFIED BIOCHAR WITH BACILLUS CEREUS ON CONTAMINATED LAKE WATER: IMPLICATIONS FOR ORYZA SATIVA SEEDLING AND ARTEMIA FRANCISCANA LARVAE VIABILITY

Abstract

This study evaluated the efficacy of biochar in removing pollutants from a polluted lake. Biochar, both with and without Bacillus cereus, was assessed for its sorption potential. The treated water samples were analyzed for toxicity using Oryza sativa and Artemia franciscana larvae. The lake water exceeded permissible limits for pH, turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and various metals. The 10-day biosorption study with different treatment groups (MB, UMB, MBB, UMBB, and BC) revealed that the MBB group exhibited remarkable pollutant sorption potential. It achieved pollutant removal percentages of 33.35% for Cd, 15.73% for As, 26.21% for Cr, 32.72% for Pb, 32.81% for Zn, 23.58% for Cu, 5.44% for Cl, 22.01% for Ni, 28.2% for Hg, and 4.19% for SO42−. MBB-treated lake water showed no toxicity, confirming pollutant removal by metal-tolerant Bacillus cereus in modified biochar.