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Exploring Alternative Treatment Method for Sugar Industry Effluent Using ‘Spirulina platensis’

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Abstract

Sugarcane cultivation and sugar industry plays a very important role in the socio-economics of rural areas of Maharashtra. Untreated discharge of sugar mill effluent can affect surface and/or ground water, soil as well as crops/plants. The objective of the present research was to explore a simple, easy to operate and lesser energy consuming sugar effluent treatment technology that could be operated even by unskilled manpower. Treatment of sugar effluent using Spirulina platensis was explored. The treatment achieved significant reduction in chemical oxygen demand of the effluent i.e. >50 % in 96 h and 80–89 %s after 144–216 h. Further, 81–85 % removal of nitrogen, 45–65 % removal of phosphorous and 90–91 % removal in potassium was achieved. These observations claimed significant development in sugar effluent treatment technology.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are thankful to Vasantdada Sugar Institute, Pune for funding the research activity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences, Vasantdada Sugar Institute, Manjari (Bk), Haveli, Pune, 412307, Maharashtra, India

    Amol Deshmane & Deepali Nimbalkar

  2. Department of Botany, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, 411 007, Maharashtra, India

    T. D. Nikam

  3. National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pashan, Pune, 411 021, Maharashtra, India

    Vikram S. Ghole

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  1. Amol Deshmane
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  2. Deepali Nimbalkar
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  3. T. D. Nikam
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  4. Vikram S. Ghole
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Correspondence to Amol Deshmane.

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Deshmane, A., Nimbalkar, D., Nikam, T.D. et al. Exploring Alternative Treatment Method for Sugar Industry Effluent Using ‘Spirulina platensis’ . Sugar Tech 18, 105–108 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12355-015-0366-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12355-015-0366-1

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