TREATMENT AND DECOLORIZATION OF DYES IN AN ANAEROBIC BAFFLED REACTOR

Synthetic organic colorants, the majority of which are recalcitrant in nature, are used universally in many different manufacturing processes. The dyes are released into the environment in industrial effluents and are highly visible even at low concentrations (20 g/L) to inhibitory (IC(sub 50) 0.2 mg/L). Batch biodegradability assays indicated that the dyes were not readily utilized by the anaerobic microorganisms as a sole substrate. Decolorization of the dye tartrazine was investigated in a laboratory-scale anaerobic baffled reactor at a concentration of 250 mg/L. Reduction in COD of 50-60% and color reduction of about 95% was achieved. Initially the tartrazine was not readily decolorized; however, decolorization improved with acclimation of the biomass. An industrial wastewater from a food dye manufacturer was fed to a second laboratory-scale anaerobic baffled reactor at a concentration of 5% (volume-to-volume ratio) and then increased to 10% (volume-to-volume ratio). Anaerobic degradation of the wastewater was efficient. Methanogenic activity was high; the organic content of the influent was reduced by about 70%, and color was reduced by almost 90%