Abstract
The treatability of seven wastewater samples generated by a textile digital printing industry was evaluated by employing 1) anammox-based processes for nitrogen removal 2) microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris) for nutrient uptake and biomass production 3) white-rot fungi (Pleurotus ostreatus and Phanerochaete chrysosporium) for decolorization and laccase activity. The biodegradative potential of each type of organism was determined in batch tests and correlated with the main characteristics of the textile wastewaters through statistical analyses. The maximum specific anammox activity ranged between 0.1 and 0.2 g N g VSS-1 d-1 depending on the sample of wastewater; the photosynthetic efficiency of the microalgae decreased up to 50% during the first 24 hours of contact with the textile wastewaters, but it improved from then on; Pleurotus ostreatus synthetized laccases and removed between 20–62% of the colour after 14 days, while the enzymatic activity of Phanerochaete chrysosporium was inhibited. Overall, the findings suggest that all microbes have great potential for the treatment and valorisation of textile wastewater after tailored adaptation phases. Yet, the depurative efficiency can be probably enhanced by combining the different processes in sequence.
Highlights
The textile sector has a severe environmental impact, consuming 79 billion cubic metres of water and emitting more than 1.7 million tons of CO2 in the EU [1]
The values are in agreement with those previously reported for this type of industrial effluents [10]
The concentration of total nitrogen and free ammonia varied among samples, while the concentration of ammoniacal nitrogen was quite constant, and the presence of nitrite and nitrate was negligible
Summary
The textile sector has a severe environmental impact, consuming 79 billion cubic metres of water and emitting more than 1.7 million tons of CO2 in the EU [1]. The amount of water consumed, and the polluted water released, is strictly dependent on the requirement of the different stages of the production chain, type of fabric produced and machines utilized [2]. The dyeing and printing steps are of major concern as they generate wastewaters rich in organic pollutants (as chemical oxygen demand, COD), nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), heavy metals, dyestuffs, catalytic chemicals, and cleaning solvents, which are extremely toxic for the environment and human beings [3]. Giovanni Bergna contributed to the study as a principal investigator of “LIFE DeNTreat” project and Martina Bargna collected the TW samples and helped with the coordination of the activities described in the study
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