Development of a continuous process with immobilised bacteria and support media for decolourisation of textile effluent

Colour in textile dyehouse effluent is of great concern to the textile industry. Economical treatment technologies are required. A mixed culture of Pseudomonas spp. was isolated for dye-degradation and used in laboratory-scale continuous culture system to evaluate their potential for treating textile effluent. Polyurethane (PU) foam was used as a polymer support for bacterial growth in the bioreactor as well as soluble starch as a carbon source. Studies have shown that an integrated aerobic/anaerobic condition was maintained in the bioreactor to promote bacterial growth and colour removal from dyehouse effluent streams. The culture system was assessed for colour removal throughout the study and was optimised through the study of the effect of soluble wheat starch on decolourisation. Results show a potential for improvement of an existing industrial effluent treatment plant for colour removal and reduction of organic compounds concentration in treated effluent.