PHYCOREMEDIATION OF MALACHITE GREEN AND REDUCTION OF PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PARAMETERS FROM POLLUTED WATER USING CHLORELLA PYRENOIDOSA

J.Thirumagal, A.Panneerselvam

Abstract: Water is the elixir of life, a precious gift of nature to all the living species on earth. It is rapidly becoming a scare commodity in most parts of the world. Only 0.35% of the total availability of water found in lakes and wetlands and 0.01% in rivers and streams which are likely getting depleted due to the discharge of the effluents such as dyes simultaneously increases the water quality parameters. Malachite green is a common textile dye being discharged in lake water situated near textile industries. The phycoremediation method employs the use of algae, say, Chlorella pyrenoidosa which helps in decolorizing the water and due to its growth in the lake water, the physico-chemical parameters higher in the polluted water found to be reduced and water can be used for various purposes. The trails were made using Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Malachite green at different concentrations. The optimum concentration for the degradation of dye was completely done at the concentration 15 mg confirming the decolorization capacity by Chlorella pyrenoidosa. The same experiment was performed with adjusting the pH at 6, 7 and 8. Optimum pH for the dye degradation was found as pH 7 at which all the concentrations Chlorella pyrenoidosa was able to degrade the dye with the decolourization capacity of above 95%. The phyico-chemical parameters checked after the decolorization by Chlorella were found to be within the limits and thus Chlorella which is available in nature can be used in the decolorization of effluent water by eco-friendly method.

Keywords: Chlorella pyrenoidosa, Malachite Green, Phycoremediation, Physico-chemical parameters

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2014.0310041