Eco-friendly Bioremediation of Batik Dye Waste Using Indigenous Bacterial Consortia

Abstract

This study explores the potential of indigenous bacteria in bioremediating batik dye wastewater, a major environmental pollutant that threatens aquatic ecosystems and human health. The research aimed to identify and characterize bacterial isolates capable of degrading natural dyes (Indigofera tinctoria L., Caesalpinia sappan L.) and synthetic dyes (methyl, naphthol, remazol, indigosol). The variable investigated in this study is the degradation rate of batik dye wastewater by bacteria, both individually and in bacterial consortia. Using isolation, purification, and 16S rRNA sequencing, 15 bacterial isolates were identified, with Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (D), Stutzerimonas stutzeri (H, I), Micrococcus sp. (J), and Pseudomonas sp. (N) exhibiting high effectiveness. Micrococcus sp. (J) achieved degradation rates of 99.62% for Indigofera, 85.74% for red remazol, and 83.05% for blue naphthol, while Pseudomonas sp. (N) degraded remazol red at 94.72%. A bacterial consortium (INJ: Stutzerimonas stutzeri, Pseudomonas sp., and Micrococcus sp.) efficiently degraded indigosol blue at 90.29%. Statistical analyses revealed no significant differences in decolorization between natural and synthetic dyes or dye colors. These bacteria demonstrated strong enzymatic activity under diverse environmental conditions, such as differences in pH, temperature, dye concentration, and chemical composition, providing an eco-friendly and cost-effective solution for batik dye waste bioremediation. The findings support SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by improving wastewater quality and promoting sustainable waste management in the batik industry.