Klebsiella variicola MSK86 as a novel agent for SDS bioremediation and phytochemical enhancement in chili plants

Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) is an anionic surfactant and one of the major constituents in cleaning agents. It is one of the main contributors to chemical pollution in water bodies. The present study mainly focuses on SDS bioremediation from domestic graywater. In this study, the SDS-basal medium treated with Klebsiella variicola MSK86 showed the presence of 1-dodecanol, a product of SDS degradation pathway detected using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The isolate was positive for phosphorus and potassium solubilization. The bacterial isolate was applied to laundry wash water, and its ability to remediate SDS was studied. Later, the treated water enriched with K. variicola MSK86 was used to irrigate chili plants. After 45 days of growth, harvested plants were analyzed for phytochemicals such as phenol and flavonoid content. The results showed that K. variicola -treated plants had a fourfold increase in phenol content and a 2.3-fold increase in flavonoid content, suggesting that the bacterial isolate helps plants cope with stressed conditions. The focus of the investigation was to identify a bioremediation agent for SDS with many potentialities that can be used for sustainable environmental concerns. K. variicola MSK86 may be a good candidate for SDS bioremediation and plant growth enhancement.