ANAEROBIC DECOLORISATION OF REACTIVE DYES IN CONVENTIONAL SEWAGE-TREATMENT PROCESSES

Reactive dyes have been identified as problematic compounds in textile effluents as they are water-soluble and not removed by traditional ae robic biological waste-water treatment systems. The use of anaerobic d igestion for the decolorisation of selected reactive dyes was investig ated. It was found that 80% of the dyes studied were decolorised and, based on the results from a detailed study into C.I. Reactive Red 141 decolorisation, it was proposed that this occurred via a reduction mec hanism. This was supported by the tentative chemical identification of the dye degradation products.