The use of microalgae for color and chemical oxygen demand removal in molasses wastewater

• Main Authors: D. Inthorn, C. Chanchitprecha, S. Silapanuntakul
• Other Authors: Mahidol University
• Format: Article
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Chemical Engineering; Earth and Planetary Sciences; Engineering; Environmental Science
• Online Access: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/20112

Twenty two strains of blue green algae and twelve strains of green algae were screened for their ability to decolorize and remove chemical oxygen demand (COD) in molasses wastewater. Chlorella saccharophila and Chlorella vulgaris were found to remove color and COD most efficiently (16.60-18.10% and 12.70-13.40%, respectively). A concentration of 50% of Medium 18, 4000 lux of light intensity under an illumination period of 12 hours and 12 hour dark interval and 0.2-0.3 g/l of cell concentration in molasses pigment solution were found to be the optimum conditions for color removal in three day-cultured by Chllorella saccharophila and Chlorella vulgaris were 21.2 and 17.2% and COD removal were 9 and 17.37%, respectively.