Continuous Decolorization of Molasses Waste Water with Mycelia of Coriolus versicolor Ps4a

Continuous decolorization of molasses waste water by mycelia of Coriolus versicolor Ps4a was studied using waste water from a baker’s yeast factory, treated by means of methane fermentation and with activated sludge. Optimum decolorization with bare pellet-type mycelia in shaking flasks needed the addition of glucose (0.5%) and peptone (0.05%) and aerobic conditions (1ppm of dissolved oxygen). Continuous decolorization in a bubbling column reactor showed a decolorization yield of approximately 75% in only 20 hr at a dilution rate (D) of 0.03 hr^?1 under the optimum conditions.

In order to continue the decolorization for a longer time, mycelia immobilized within Caalginate gel were tested in a bubbling column reactor under the optimum conditions. The immobilized mycelia showed an almost constant decolorization yield (65.7%) during continuous decolorization for 16 days at D = 0.22 hr^?1.