Characterization of Garcinia gummi-gutta Paste Processing Wastewater for Potential Reuse as a Natural Disinfectant.

Abstract

Sustainable waste management is a crucial factor in most industries. The present study aimed to characterize the wastewater released from the Garcinia gummi-gutta paste processing industry for potential reuse in developing new products. Wastewater samples were collected from three stages (WW_S1: after rinsing, WW_S2: after sedimentation, and WW_S3: at the wastewater outlet) of the Garcinia paste processing plant. The key water quality parameters, such as pH, turbidity, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), salinity, electrical conductivity (EC), and total phenolic content were measured in the wastewater from each stage. Excess water from the collected wastewater samples was removed under reduced pressure to obtain crude extracts, and phytochemical screening was carried out. The antibacterial activity of Garcinia crude extract (0.5 g/L, 1.0 g/L, 2.0 g/L) and undiluted wastewater samples was evaluated with Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Wastewater was characterized by pH 2.0 - 2.5; turbidity 1000 - 10000 FAU; BOD 2.0 - 3.5 mg/L; salinity 15.00 - 16.75 psu, and EC 25- 32 mS/cm. Phenols, flavonoids, and saponins were identified as phytochemicals in the crude extract. A significantly higher (p < 0.05) total phenolic content was recorded as 41.41±1.20 mg GAE/L in WW_S1 compared to 31.56 ± 1.39 mg GAE/L at WW_S2 and 27.00±1.19 mg GAE/L at WW_S3. Also, undiluted WW_S1 showed the highest inhibition value (7.33 ± 0.98 mm) against E. coli compared to the commercial liquid cleaner product and other stages. All extracts except 0.5 g/L showed inhibition against S. aureus, but values were not significant compared to the commercial product. Overall, WW_S1 exhibited the best activity against E. coli and S. aureus, along with the highest total phenolic content and yield, makes it a natural substitute for commercial synthetic disinfectants, leading to sustainable waste management.