The researchers studied how different initial pH levels affect the breakdown of distillery wastewater by using a mix of bacteria in a controlled environment. They found that an initial pH of 6.5 resulted in the highest removal of pollutants, with 91.96% of the waste being broken down. At this pH level, the removal of harmful chemicals like phenol was also most effective, reaching 88.76%. Overall, the study showed that maintaining an initial pH of 6.5 is best for efficiently treating distillery wastewater.