Occurrence and Diversity of Diazotrophic Cyanobacteria in Distillery Effluents

Cyanobacteria are unique and rare among the entire microbial community. A large number of Cyanobacterial strains are well known for their diazotrophic nature and significant for nitrogen economy of the soil, however being damaged by environmental contamination such as agrochemical and industrial effluents. In present study occurrence of diazotrophic Cyanobacteria exposing their diversity in distillery effluent was investigated. The physicochemical properties of effluents of two distillery industries situated in Bilaspur district were analyzed. Total 19 strains of diazotrophic Cyanobacteria were identified and isolated from distillery effluent flooded area, whereas Anabaena was found more abundant with 05 species followed by 04 species of Nostoc, 02 species of Calothrix, Gloeotrichia and Scytonaema while Aulosira, Cylindrospermum, Plectonema and Revularia were observed with single species. The abundance of Cyanobacteria in these effluents was due to favorable contents of oxidizable organic matter, rich Calcium, high Alkalinity and abundant nutrients such as nitrates, phosphate with less dissolved Oxygen. However various non- diazotrophic Cyanobacteria were also observed.