Accelerating Textile Dye Bioremoval by Aeration

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Agricultural Microbiology Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt

2 Chemical Engineering and Pilot Plant Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

A series of batch and bioreactors experiments were carried out for absorption of dis-azo dyes present in
textile mill effluents under different aeration conditions. One fungal strain with five rates of air was
used to absorb direct brown dye. Five liters bioreactors were applied to study the removal performance.
The experimental results are compared for various operating conditions. The effects of airflow rate
(1/8, ¼, ½, 1, 2 v/v min) inlet on the dye removing were assessed. It was found that the rate of aeration
of ½ v/v min induced increase in dye removal percentages (72%) and fungal biomass (9.2 g); at the rate
of aeration of 2 v/v min, high dye removal percentage (77%) was recorded with a decrease in biomass
dry weight at the end of the incubation time. The results also indicated that the biomass dry weight
obtained at three flow rates of aeration was more or less similar until the end of the growth stage (after
incubation for three days). The results obtained indicate that using low rate of aeration (1/8, ¼, ½ v/v
min) was better for dye biosorption than high rate (1, 2 v/v min), and therefore it is recommended for
dis-azo dye removing.

Keywords