Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) is probably the most extensively used psychoactive substance worldwide. However, it has recalcitrant nature and causes adverse detrimental effects in various biological systems at critical environmental concentrations. Caffeine-containing wastewaters generated from coffee- and tea-processing plants, which constitute a significant portion of the agro-industrial wastes, are often discharged to the surrounding water bodies. Current treatment strategies entirely lack focus on caffeine degradation from coffee wastewater, thereby mandating the need for novel eco-friendly, and cost-effective treatment strategies. We have earlier isolated a soil-bacterium, Pseudomonas putida NCIM.5235 that was found to exhibit the highest ever reported caffeine degradation rate of 0.82 g/L/h. This strain has shown promising results in the complete degradation of caffeine within 2 hours while simultaneously reducing critical-sum parameters of pollution in synthetic coffee wastewater. Prior studies have reported that it produces two highly valuable pharmaceutical compounds- theobromine (Rs. 7,573 per 100g) and 7-methyl xanthine (Rs.53,33,572 per 100g), in the metabolism of caffeine. These compounds can be presently synthesized solely through chemical methods which are expensive, and involves the use of hazardous chemicals and harsh reaction conditions. Hence, a green biological production process for these pharmaceuticals would be preferred.

Here, we propose to develop an effective all-in-one wastewater treatment strategy for real industrial coffee effluent using induced whole cells of Pseudomonas sp. Furthermore, we also propose to devise bioprocess strategies for utilising Pseudomonas sp. NCIM 5235 as biocatalyst in the economic production of theobromine and 7-methylxanthine from pure caffeine.