| Abstract: | Three different support materials have been screened for immobilization of Phanerochaete chrysosporium for biobleaching of anaerobically digested black liquor. Of these, jute rope-immobilized P. chrysosporium showed better performance than cotton and wheat carriers in terms of decolorization and COD reduction. Process parameters such as temperature, mycelial load, pH, glucose concentration and retention time were optimized using jute-immobilized fungus and the optimal values recorded were 40°C, 340 mg, 5·5, 1% (w/v) and 72 h, respectively. Continuous biobleaching of anaerobically digested black liquor using a packed bed reactor system carrying the jute-immobilized fungal biomass was successfully carried out over a period of 21 days. © 1998 Society of Chemical Industry |
