TREATMENT OF PARBOILED RICE MANUFACTURING WASTEWATER USINGANAEROBIC FIXED FILM FIXED BED REACTOR PACKED WITH SPECIAL MEDIA
Studies on bench scale reactors packed with two different media matrix – Biopac media and Fugino spirals were undertaken to determine the performance at various organic loading rate (OLR) and on one day hydraulic retention time (HRT). Parboiled rice mill wastewater depicted a COD/BOD ratio of 1.6 indicating good degradable nature of the wastewater. Four different organic loadings of 0.8, 1.6, 2.4 and 3.2 kg COD/m3/day were studied in detail. The results indicated BOD and COD removals in the range of 83.0-92.7% and 80.2-89.0% respectively with respect to Biopac media while it ranged between 79.4–90.6% and 76.7–86.1% respectively in case of Fugino spiral media. It is very clear from the results that, Biopac media packed fixed film reactor gave efficient removals compared to Fugino spiral media packed reactor. Volatile acid concentration was well within the congenial range in both the reactors and volatile acid to alkalinity ratio remained well below 0.8 indicating good performance of the reactors. pH of the treated effluent was in the range of 7.1–7.3 indicating good buffering in the system. Daily gas production was measured. This paper discusses in detail the feasibility of upflow anaerobic fixed film fixed bed reactors packed with special media matrix in treating the parboiled rice manufacturing wastewater. Comparative performance of two special media matrix i.e. Fugino Spirals and Special Ultraviolet Stabilized Biopac media in the treatment of parboiled rice manufacturing wastewater has been studied in detail.
Characterization and optimization of conditions for biodegradation of sella-rice mill effluent.
The sella-rice mill effluent is a major environmental pollutant requiring proper treatment before disposal. The present study has been conducted to isolate and characterize micro-organisms capable of growing on sella-rice effluent and to optimize conditions for its rapid bioremediation. Using three different types of media (LB, YEPDA and PDA), a total of 139 isolates were isolated from effluent samples collected from three different locations. Out of these, 45 isolates were found to utilize starch on starch medium, eight isolates showing high efficiency. For the optimization of conditions for maximum utilization of starch by selected isolates, parameters such as effect of addition of carbon and nitrogen sources, effect of growth factors, temperature and pH were studied. Maximum growth (absorbance of 2.10) and starch-utilization (varying in the range of 2.33 to 3.62) was observed on starch medium supplemented with peptone and yeast extract at 30 degrees C with a pH of 6.0. These bacterial isolates also reduced the amount of starch (80.10%), BOD (64.24%) and COD (75.0%) of sella-rice mill effluent after 15 days of incubation. On the basis of morphological and biochemical characteristics, the selected isolates were found to belong to the genera Lactobacillus and Micrococcus.
Microbial decolorization and bioremediation of melanoidin containing molasses spent wash.
Molasses spent wash from cane-molasses based distilleries contains a brown coloured recalcitrantpolymer melanoidin, which if disposed untreated poses a great threat to environment. Microbial decolorization and chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction was found to be dependent on specific carbon and nitrogen source. Under optimal condition of pH, carbon and nitrogen concentration for each treatment, it was found that Bacillus sp isolated from soil was capable of removing COD (85. 35%) and colour (81.10%) from distillery waste to the maximum extent after 9 days atpH 7 in the medium containing 0.5% peptone, 2% glucose and 10% (v/v), followed by Phanerochaete chrysosporium and lowest reduction was obtained by using native microbial consortium.