Faculty Publications
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Item Isolation and identification of Pseudomonas from wastewater, its immobilization in cellulose biopolymer and performance in degrading Triclosan(Academic Press, 2019) Devatha, C.P.; Narasimhappa, N.Triclosan (TCS) is a well-known emerging contaminant got wide use in daily use products of domestic purpose, which provides the way to enter the ecological cycle, and is preferably detected in sewage treatment plants. In this study, TCS degrading bacteria (TDB) was isolated and identified from a wastewater treatment plant at the National Institute of Technology-Karnataka, Surathkal (NITK), India. The isolate was reported as Pseudomonas strain by performing 16S RNA Sequencing using BLAST analysis. Bacterial growth depends upon several environmental factors. Hence its growth optimization was carried out by response surface method (RSM) based central composite design (CCD) and validated by the artificial neural network (ANN). The Parameters or inputs used for optimization are pH, time (days), agitation (rpm) and sorbent dosage (?g/L). Experiments were conducted in batch mode to achieve optimum growth of bacteria based on RSM trial runs. The RSM model predictions were in better agreement with the experimental results and it was confirmed by ANN. The deviation lies within ±10% with experimental results compared to ANN for maximum trials. Hence optimized parameters were established and arrived at pH - 7, time - 13 days, agitation - 150 rpm, dosage - 1.5 ?g/L presented 69% removal of TCS. Minimum inhibitory assay of isolated strain was conducted to identify the degradation capacity of TCS and it was found out to be lesser than 0.025 mg of TCS. Later the strain was immobilized in two different matrices. One is biopolymer extracted from cellulose (Water Hyacinth) along with sodium alginate and second is free bacteria with sodium alginate and was made in the form of beads. The removal of TCS by TDB-cellulose-alginate (BCA) and TDB-Alginate (BA) beads were 58% and 30% respectively. Hence it was concluded that BCA beads showed effective removal compared to BA beads. Therefore, isolate can degrade TCS when the concentration ranges from 0.025 mg/L to 5.5 ng/L. © 2018 Elsevier LtdItem Investigation of physical and chemical characteristics on soil due to crude oil contamination and its remediation(Springer Verlag, 2019) Devatha, C.P.; Vishnu Vishal, A.; Purna Chandra Rao, J.Oil contamination causes serious geoenvironmental concern and adversely affects the soil environment due to the release of toxic by-products. Hence, the aim of the study was to investigate the influence of oil contamination on soil physical and chemical properties and phytoremediation as a treatment option based on field studies conducted for analyzing significant parameters. The sites selected were near National Institute of Technology, Surathkal, Karnataka (site-1), and another is close to the oil refinery (Kuthethur, Karnataka, India, as site-2). Phytoremediation of oil-contaminated samples was carried out by Chromolaena odorata. The evaluation of soil physical and chemical properties includes field and laboratory tests. A pumping test was conducted to estimate aquifer parameters in the field. The hydraulic conductivity for field soil sample (unsaturated condition) is carried out by a filter paper test. Laboratory tests to evaluate physical and chemical parameters include total petroleum hydrocarbons of contaminated (crude oil varying from 0 to 10% at an interval of 2%) and uncontaminated samples and plant parameters. Characterization of contaminated and uncontaminated soil sample was performed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results obtained reveal that physical properties of soil (moisture content, liquid and plastic limit) got affected due to oil contamination. Relative hydraulic conductivity was established as 0.46 (uncontaminated) and 0.57 (contaminated) for soil samples and led to the conclusion that hydraulic conductivity was drop down by 10% due to oil contamination. Total petroleum hydrocarbon analysis reveals that the uptake/presence of hydrocarbons by showing increased concentration in contaminated soils (5% and 10%) by the plant species. This is further confirmed by FTIR results. The TPH concentrations in the contaminated soils were reduced up to 50–60% and also showed better plant growth after 7 weeks of transplantation. Hence, considered plant species possess high potential for degrading oil contaminated in the soil. © 2019, The Author(s).Item Performance evaluation of horizontal and vertical flow constructed wetlands as tertiary treatment option for secondary effluents(Springer Verlag, 2019) Thalla, A.K.; Devatha, C.P.; Anagh, K.; Sony, E.Constructed wetlands (CWs) are simple low-cost wastewater treatment units that use natural process to improve the effluent water quality and make it possible for its reuse. In the present study, a comparison is made between horizontal subsurface flow (HSSF-CW) and vertical flow (VFCW) constructed wetland in effectively post-treating the effluents from the secondary biological treatment system. Locally available plants, viz. Pennisetum pedicellatum and Cyperus rotundus, which are abundantly available in the Western Ghats, were used in the wetland. A pilot-scale study was undertaken in National Institute of Technology, Karnataka Campus. The experiments were conducted at two hydraulic retention times, i.e., 12 h and 24 h. The experimental study was carried out in February 2018 to May 2018. Concentration-based average removal efficiencies for HSSF-CW and VFCW were BOD, 77% and 83%; COD, 60% and 65%; NH4 +–N, 67% and 84.47%; NO3–N, 69% and 66.75%; and PO4–P, 85% and 90%, respectively. VFCW showed a better overall removal efficiency than HSSF-CW by 7.14%. Thus, constructed wetland can be considered as a sustainable alternative to the tertiary conventional treatment of domestic wastewater, thus making it possible for reuse. © 2019, The Author(s).Item Degradation of Triclosan from Domestic Wastewater by Biosurfactant Produced from Bacillus licheniformis(Humana Press Inc. humana@humanapr.com, 2019) Jayalatha, N.A.; Devatha, C.P.The use of triclosan (TCS), an antimicrobial agent in consumer product, results in adverse effects on the environment due to its wide usage all over the world. The present study focused on TCS detection and attempted for degradation by biosurfactant produced by Bacillus licheniformis from domestic wastewater in Surathkal region, Karnataka, India. The experimental investigation includes biosurfactant production using crude sunflower oil and detection and degradation of TCS from wastewater by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Results exhibited that maximum biosurfactant yield (7.8 g/L) was achieved using 1 g/L of glycerol as carbon and 5.5 g/L of ammonium bicarbonate as a nitrogen source. Detection of TCS from domestic wastewater (0.36 mg/L) and degradation was carried out by HPLC. The result discloses that 47.2% and 100% removal of TCS was achieved in 2 h and 16 h for 1:1(v/v) ratio of wastewater and biosurfactant. © 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.Item Dewatering performance of sludge using coconut shell biochar modified with ferric chloride (Sludge dewatering using bio-waste)(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2022) Rashmi, H.R.; Devatha, C.P.Coconut shell is a bio-waste, and its availability is high to waste in the coastal region of Karnataka, India. The present study focused on using coconut shell biochar modified with ferric chloride to enhance the sludge dewaterability, and it is evaluated experimentally (Capillary suction time, moisture content, settleability, zeta potential, heavy metals, and phosphate). Further, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction characterization were carried out to identify the structure's change. A significant reduction in capillary suction time (56 s) and the moisture content (96.5%) of the dewatered sludge cake was obtained. Sludge dewatering using coconut shell biochar modified with ferric chloride was optimized by a Box Behnken method with three main factors including dosage, rapid mixing time, and slow mixing time. Optimum capillary suction time (55.6 s) was achieved at coconut shell biochar modified with ferric chloride dosage (41% dry solids), rapid mixing time (10 min), and slow mixing time (19 min). The significant structural change in sludge particles was confirmed through characterization studies. During the dewatering process, the removal of heavy metal (cadmium, chromium, lead, and nickel) and phosphate (50.6%) was evident. Hence attempt of coconut shell biochar modified with ferric chloride as a skeleton material is an economical and promising option for sludge dewatering. © 2021, Islamic Azad University (IAU).Item Impact of recent floods on river morphology of Upper Krishna River: a decadal analysis using remote sensing approach(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2024) Choudhary, P.; Azhoni, A.; Devatha, C.P.Alluvial rivers are dynamic landscapes on the earth’s surface that evolve with time. While many studies have examined the immediate effects of floods on river channels, there is a lack of research that investigates the longer-term evolution of river morphology following such events. The present study was carried out on the Upper Krishna River which flows between the southern part of Maharashtra and the northern part of Karnataka states in India for 375 Km. The morphological parameters were analyzed for three decades (1991–2021) and the year 2019 with the highest flood level was also considered for change analysis. The assessment was done for change in active channel area, mean width, bank line migration, sinuosity index, and erosion-accretion. The land use classification was also analyzed for the study period to understand the exposure to future floods. The spatial data was retrieved from different satellite missions and analyzed with the help of Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographical Information System (GIS). The river was divided into seven segments (R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, and R7) and bank lines were digitised manually to minimise possible errors. The results show that during the study period, the river channel has been modified in terms of active channel area expansion in the R1, R5, R6, and R7, and erosion was found the dominating process while the left bank was more erosive than the right bank of the river. The built-up area was seen going through a major expansion than any other land use class. The discharge and sediment data confirm the flood years (1994, 2005, 2006, and 2019) which accelerated the morphological activity in the river segment. The results of the study provide new insights related to short-term morphological changes in the Upper Krishna River and can be used by policymakers and managers to carry out future development plans and river training work at affected sites. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2024.Item Integration of multi-layer perceptron neural network and cellular Automata-Markov chain approach for the prediction of land use land cover in land change modeler(Elsevier B.V., 2025) Choudhary, P.; Devatha, C.P.; Azhoni, A.Land use and land cover (LULC) significantly influence the hydrological cycle and various earth processes. Understanding these dynamics is essential for effectively managing environmental issues within river basins. The study focuses on a highly dynamic and flood-prone sub-basin of the Upper Krishna River, where major urban settlements and intensive agricultural activities are concentrated along the riverbanks. The uniqueness of this research comes from the selection of this hydrologically sensitive landscape, shaped by both natural processes and anthropogenic pressures, which presents a critical case for land use and land cover modeling. Utilizing high-resolution satellite data (10 m), combined with the advanced Multi-Layer Perceptron Neural Networks (MLPNN) and Cellular Automata-Markov Chain (CA-Markov) modeling techniques within TerrSet's Land Change Modeler (LCM), which is not only capable of generating spatial transitions and dynamic maps but also identifies the key contributors in gain and loss of various land use classes. We projected LULC scenarios for the mid-century (2049) and end-century (2099) using data from 2015 to 2020. Our model was validated against the actual LULC map from 2024 and showed a strong correlation (Kappa = 0.85). The results indicate significant urban growth along the riverbank and predict an increase in built-up area from 6.53 % in 2024 to 9.59 % in 2049 and further to 15 % by 2099 of the total geographical area. We observed consistent declines in forest cover, cropland, and barren land. These findings are valuable for future hydrological studies and provide important insights for policymakers to support sustainable urban planning and flood risk management. © 2025