Decolourization of Molasses Based Distillery Waste Water by Using Calcium-alginate Immobilized Fungal Strain

Abstract

Decolorization of intensely brown colored distillery wastewater was carried out by Fusarium moniliforme, fungus isolated from distillery wastewater. Under optimal performance parameter, (supplementation of glucose 0.8 %, w/v, NH4 NO3 0.03 %, w/v, pH 5.0 and temp 30o C) isolated fungal strain showed maximum decolourization of almost 80 % in 6-7 days. Further, attempts were undertaken to improve the process of decolorization of distillery wastewater by the whole cell immobilization of isolated fungal strain Fusarium moniliforme in calcium alginate in indigenously designed bioreactor. In case of single stage bioreactor the immobilized cells showed 76-77 %, decolorization, a 3-4 % lower than maximum declorization attained by free cells. However, retention time for decolorization of waste water was one day shorter. The immobilized cells were used in 5 repeated treatment cycle of 5 days each without any significant loss in decolorization potential. Using the two stage bioreactor system for decolorization of distillery wastewater, there obtained the further decrease in acclimatization period by another one day i.e. the process was completed in 4 days with almost similar decolourization capability.