Abstract
This study investigated biological treatment of paper mill sludge and lignin degradation by fungi. Four different Basidiomycetes white-rot fungi (WRF) were used: Coriolus versicolor, Tyromyces albidus, Trametes gallica and Pleurotus ostreatus. The fungi were cultured in submerged fermentation cultures with paper mill sludge. The pH values of the cultures and ligninolytic enzymes production profiles of the four fungi were monitored and reported here. The highest laccase activity of 202 U/L was obtained in T. albidus at day 25 while the maximum manganese-dependent peroxidase (MnP) activity of 50 U/L was obtained in C. versicolor from day 15 to 25. The P. ostreatus showed highest total cellulase activity with the peak of 0.26 μmol at day 15 while the other three WRF showed negligible total cellulase activity. The lignin contents were significantly decreased in the four WRF-treated sludge samples and were confirmed by acetyl bromide and FTIR analyses. The results suggested that lignin was preferentially used and significantly degraded or converted in all the four WRF-treated sludge samples.
Highlights
The effluents from the pulp and paper industry cause considerable damage to the receiving waters if discharged untreated
The different pH trend in P. ostreatus could be due to its slow growth rate comparing to the other three fungi used in the study
Our results showed that the lignin content of sludge samples treated by all the four white-rot fungi (WRF) decreased after one month incubation (Figure 5)
Summary
The effluents from the pulp and paper industry cause considerable damage to the receiving waters if discharged untreated They have high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and contain chlorinated compounds, suspended solids (mainly fibers), fatty acids, lignin and sulphur compounds. Paper mill sludge is a solid waste material composed of pulp residues and ash generated from the pulping and paper-making process [2]. It is a solid residue recovered from the wastewater. Most sludge produced by pulp and paper mills is dewatered and landfilled It is both economically and environmentally beneficial to find treatment methods that cut down on landfill deposits
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