ANITA RANI AND BALJEET SINGH SAHARAN
Abstract
Main recalcitrant compound present in distillery effluent is melanoidins which is responsible for the dark brown colour of effluent. This dark brown colour causes toxicity to the microbial flora of the effluent. Total 60 bacterial isolates were obtained from soil contaminated with distillery effluent. About 15 isolates were selected for secondary screening, out of which four were chosen for biodegradation activity. Alcaligens SAG3 showed 60.3% decolourisation at 1.0% (w/v) melanoidin concentration whereas SAG5 showed 58.8% decolourisation.