REMOVAL OF VIRUS-PARTICLES, BACTERIA AND BOVINE SERUM-ALBUMIN FROM WATER BY STEAM-EXPLODED PINUS-RADIATA BARK

Novel methods for removal of bacteria, viruses and high BOD material, such as proteins, from industry wastes and sewage, are of increasing i nterest particularly if they are able to harness waste materials from other industries. The washed, tannin-rich, material resulting from Pin us radiata bark treated by steam-explosion, has been investigated as a potential filtration medium for removing microorganisms and protein c ontaminants from water and waste water. The steam-exploded bark effect ively removed a test virus (bacteriophage MS2) from dechlorinated tap water when used as a filtration medium (>99.9%) or when stirred in sus pension (99% within 10 min). Bacterial species (Escherichia coli and E nterococci faecalis) in the same experiments were removed well by filt ration (>99.9%) but stirring in bark suspension only reduced the initi al titre by 55-62% within 10 min. Treatment of bovine serum albumin (1 00 mg/l and 700 mg/l) with steam-exploded bark in suspension removed u p to 95% of the protein from solution. These results suggest that tann in rich steam-exploded bark products may have some application in trea tment of protein rich effluents and those containing microbial contami nants.