DECOLORIZATION AND BIODEGRADATION OF ANAEROBICALLY DIGESTED SUGARCANEMOLASSES SPENT WASH EFFLUENT FROM BIOMETHANATION PLANTS BY WHITE-ROT FUNGI

Four white-rot fungal cultures were examined for their ability to deco lorize and bioremediate anaerobically digested molasses spent wash (DM SW) generated by biomethanation plants. Two cultures Coriolus versicol or and Phanerochaete chrysosporium showed an ability to decolorize and reduce the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of diluted DMSW (12.5% v/v). Both cultures required an additional labile carbon source to carry out decolorization while additional organic nitrogen did not significantl y improve it further. Optimum growth and decolorization occurred at 35 -40 degrees C, pH 5.0, glucose at 3-5%(w/v). Maximum decolorization (7 1.5 and 53.5%) and COD reduction (90.0 and 73.0%) were achieved in 6.2 5% (v/v) DMSW medium by C. versicolor and P. chrysosporium, respective ly. These values decreased significantly at higher concentrations of D MSW (12.5 and 25% v/v), nevertheless both cultures have profound poten tial applications in reducing the pollution of DMSW effluent prior to its disposal. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.