Color elimination from molasses wastewater by Aspergillus niger

Color elimination by Aspergillus niger from wastewater from molasses alcoholic fermentation was studied. The influences of the nutrient concentrations, initial pH and carbon source on this color elimination were analyzed. It worked in a discontinuous process in shaken cultures and in a continuous process in a bubble reactor. During the batch process, through all experiments the maximal color elimination was attained after 3 or 4 days in the culture. Batch processes showed a maximal color elimination of 69% when MgSO4, KH2PO4, NH4NO3 and a carbon source were added to the wastewater. The continuous process, with the same nutrient concentrations, showed less color removal and the decolorization activity was maintained for only 4 days.