S Andleeb - MicrobiologyDepartment, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
N Atiq - MicrobiologyDepartment, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
M Ishtiaq Ali - MicrobiologyDepartment, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
F Ur-Rehman - MicrobiologyDepartment, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan

Biodegradation and biodecolorization of Drimarene blue K2-RL (anthraquinone) dye by a fungal isolate Aspergillus niger SA1 was studied in self designed lab scale bioreactor system with different solid supports. Aspergillus niger SA1, was efficiently immobilized on sand and sodium alginate beads. The immobilized cells were used in the form of fluidized bed reactor for textile dye (Drimarene blue) removal. Both the reactors were operated at room temperature and pH 5.0 in continuous flow mode with increasing concentrations of dye in simulated textile effluent. The reactors were run on fill and draw mode, with hydraulic retention time of 24-72 hrs. The fluidized bed bioreactor with sand as immobilizing support (FBR1) showed overall performance as compared to fluidized bed bioreactor with sodium alginate as immobilizing support (FBR2). The average overall color, BOD and COD removal in the FBR1 system were up to 73.58, 87.31 and 88.65% respectively, with 50 ppm initial dye concentration and HRT of 24 hrs. While 72.19, 86.63 and 74.74% removal of color, BOD and COD were observed, respectively, in FBR2 with same conditions. Reductions in BOD and COD levels along with color removal proved that the mechanism of biodecolorization and biodegradation occurred simultaneously.

Drimarene Blue; Biodegradation; Fluidized Bed Bioreactor System; Color Removal