African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 6 (3), pp. 304-306, 5 February 2007   

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2007 Academic Journals        

Short Communication

Dehalogenation and decolorization of wheat straw-based bleachery effluents by Penicillium camemberti

B. K. Taşeli

The Authority for the Protection of Special Areas (Özel Çevre Koruma Kurumu Başkanlığı), Alparslan Türkeş Cad., 31. Sok., 10 Nolu Hizmet Binası, Beştepe, Ankara, Turkey. E-mail: basaktaseli@hotmail.com.

Accepted 4 January, 2007

This paper examined the capability of Penicillium camemberti to dechlorinate and decolorize wheat straw-based pulping and bleaching effluents.  In batch tests, the highest removals for CEH (Chlorination-Extraction-Hypochlorite) bleaching sequence [65% organic halides (AOX) 84% color] were obtained with 2 g/l acetate concentration in 10 days under non-shaking conditions. Experiments in shaking flasks containing Tween 80 produced 60% AOX, 79% color removals in 10 days. This removal efficiency was also in accord with gas chromatography analysis indicating drastic reductions at low molecular weight adsorbable organic halogen compounds.

Key words: Straw, bleaching, adsorbable organic halogens, pulping, Penicillium camemberti.