Isolation and Characterization of Bacterial Strains with Organic-Degrading Potential for Municipal Wastewater Treatment

The increasing volume of wastewater discharged in urban areas poses a significant environmental challenge, particularly due to the potential for organic carbon overload in aquatic ecosystems. This study aimed to identify the bacterial isolates with the potential to mitigate this burden by effectively degrading organic matter and exhibiting antagonistic activity against common aquatic pathogens. Through a screening process, two bacterial strains, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Bacillus licheniformis, were isolated based on their high amylolytic, cellulolytic, proteolytic and lipolytic activity indices. In addition, in relation to all effective strains for these activities, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens differed in the cellulolytic index (4.48 ± 0.12), while Bacillus licheniformis had a lipolytic index of 1.73 ± 0.10. Both strains were further characterized by their strong antagonistic activity against Aeromonas, a prevalent pathogen in aquatic environments. These findings suggest that B. amyloliquefaciens and B. licheniformis hold promise as bioremediation agents for wastewater treatment, potentially contributing to the sustainable management of urban wastewater and the protection of aquatic ecosystems.