Lignin and colour removal of pulp and papermill wastewater by enzymatic action of different fungal strains

Wastewater from pulp and paper mill industries poses a major risk to the water and soil components of the ecosystem due to high concentration of organic as well as inorganic contaminants. In the present study, the performance of enzymatic activity of various fungal strains was investigated for the treatment of Pulp and paper mill effluent. Five effective white rot fungal strains were isolated which included Trametes versicolor recognized for the selective breakdown of lignin. Among all the strains, Trametes pubescens strain showed highest activity of lignin peroxidase, Fpase, xylanase, CMcase, protein, and sugar content at 120 h incubation period. Maximum removal efficiency of pollution load parameters such as colour (82%), COD (78%), lignin (83%) and adsorbable organic halides (AOX; 77%) was observed in Trametes pubescens on day 4 at 3.4 international unit per ml concentration of crude enzymes. The degradation and breakdown of high molecular weight contaminants such as lignin into small molecular weights compounds was established by FTIR and 13C NMR analyses.