Green treatment solutions: Decolorization of textile wastewater by Chlorella vulgaris

Abstract The textile dyeing industry is continually evolving, presenting the ongoing challenge of treating wastewater generated during the production process. Effective wastewater treatment in the dyeing industry requires a combination of methods to ensure the effluent quality and reduce costs, thereby aligning with the sustainable development goals of businesses. A promising solution lies in the use of the microalgae Chlorella vulgaris , which has the capability to absorb and degrade pollutants. This study aims to optimize the initial factors affecting the decolorization efficiency of Chlorella vulgaris , investigating the impact of pH on the decolorization rate and growth rate of the microalgae. The decolorization process was monitored over several consecutive days to evaluate the daily decolorization capacity of the microalgae. The survey of pH influence on decolorization efficiency revealed that the dye removal efficiency of wastewater exceeded 95% after 10 days when wastewater with a color intensity of 400 Pt-Co was introduced into a Chlorella vulgaris solution of the same volume. The results indicated that a pH of 8 is the most suitable environment for the decolorization process and the growth of Chlorella vulgaris . The decolorization rate at pH 8 achieved 62% efficiency after 5 days. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that Chlorella vulgaris presents an effective and sustainable solution for treating industrial dyeing wastewater, contributing to green processing in the industry.