Efficient Furfural Removal Using Actinobacteria From Polluted Sites: Microbial Consortium Design and Application

Abstract

Wastewater from a furfural plant in Argentina contains 791 mg L−1 of furfural, posing toxicity risks if untreated. This study aimed to isolate actinobacteria from these furfural-contaminated sites, select tolerant strains, and assess their removal efficiency individually and in consortium. Six microorganisms with macroscopic characteristics corresponding to the phylum Actinomycetota were isolated. These microorganisms and Streptomyces sp. A5, A12 and M7, isolated from pesticide and heavy metal contaminated environments, showed tolerance to furfural 800 mg L−1. The isolate L9 (identified as Nocardiopsis sp. L9) and Streptomyces sp. A12 and M7 were selected because they were the most efficient with respect to their growth capacity and furfural removal in MM supplemented with furfural 400 mg L−1. The consortium formulated with the three actinobacteria (L9-A12-M7) exhibited significantly higher growth (123%) and furfural removal efficiency (58%) compared to individual cultures, when exposed to a pollutant concentration similar to that of the actual effluent (800 mg L⁻¹). Ecotoxicity tests using Raphanus sativus seeds showed that the toxic effects caused by furfural were reversed by the treatment, confirming the effectiveness of the bioremediation process. These results suggest that the actinobacterial consortium is a promising bioremediation tool for the treatment of industrial effluents contaminated with furfural.