Abstract

Color removal of distillery effluent by immobilized cells on artificial soil

Author(s): D.P.Mohapatra, K.K.Bandyopadhyay, M.Tambe

The Melanoidin Pigment (MP) is hardly decolorized due to recalcitrant as well as typical inhibitory effect of microbes available in treatment process. Therefore any discharge of treated effluent (after secondary treatment) can cause nuisance not only to natural surface water but also to ground water quality. Because, the available technologies are highly energy intensive, costly, land oriented and can not give any guarantee to full proof system, the development of the low cost technology with some Return on Investment (ROI) is realized, so that distilleries could be attracted and accept the technology. Qualitative studies of color removal of distillery effluent were carried out continuously in packed bed reactor to screen out the suitable combination of artificial soil. The continuous reactor (voidage:0.39-0.4, packed density:1.01-1.02kg/L) studies enable to remove color and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) degradation of the effluent (after secondary treatment with COD 22000-23000mg/L) to the tune of 97-99%and 96-97% respectively for the period of more than 10 days. Formulations of artificial soil, kinetic data, void age, space velocitywere important parameters useful in designing 10KLPD pilot plant.