Effect of glucose and urea supplements on decolourization of bagasse and gunny bag-based pulp-paper mill effluent by <i>Trametes versicolor</i>

Abstract

The decolourization studies on paper mill effluent revealed that its sterilization and <i>p</i>H<i> </i>adjustment to lower values are unnecessary, as the treatments resulted in sedimentation of the chromophoric compounds. A maximum decolourization (34%) by <i>Trametes versicolor </i>on third day was observed in the effluent supplemented with 1.0% (w/v) glucose cosubstrate and 0.2%(w/v) urea. Further, colour reduction (24%) was also noted in the fungal uninoculated effluent supplemented with glucose @ 1.5% (w/v). However, in the absence of cosubstrate, the extent of decolourization was only 6% by the native microflora.