Fidia Fibriana, Aldias Bahatmaka, Nadya Alfa Cahaya Imani, Ratna Dewi Kusumaningtyas, Imam Ariff Juliadi, Bhisma Akbar Pradana, Hibatin Wafiroh
Pharmaceutical industry wastewater can cause odor and color issues due to nitrite, ammonia, and waste from the coloring process. To address these problems, biodeodorization and biodecolorization using microorganisms are proposed. The wastewater's organic content and physicochemical characteristics, including pH, color, odor, COD, BOD, TSS, O&G, ammonia, and coliform, were characterized. The best fungal isolate from five candidates was identified, with Rhizopus oligosporus F-05 was selected and immobilized in bio balls using a direct intake method. This immobilized fungus in a black polypropylene sponge (BS) matrix inside a bio ball was used for biodecolorization and biodeodorization, significantly reducing odor and color levels in equalization tank (ET) and final effluent (FT) by 65%-75% and 28%, respectively. Physicochemical parameters showed positive results, with significant reductions below specified thresholds. Also, the bio balls capacity at the 10 L level matched bench scale characteristics. The biotreatment method using immobilized fungus has excellent potential for optimization and further study, including adjusting operating conditions like wastewater flow rate, inoculum size, bio ball size, and wastewater retention time. Laboratory-scale testing yielded promising results, but the main challenge is ensuring effectiveness at an industrial scale. Overall, this method shows a promising environmentally friendly wastewater treatment technology, where fungal cells immobilized in bio balls could effectively reduce organic and microbiological pollutants, odor, and color in pharmaceutical industry wastewater. Further optimization could possibly enhance efficiency and make it a commercially viable option for large-scale wastewater treatment. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.
Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Central Java, Semarang, 50229, Indonesia; Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Central Java, Semarang, 50229, Indonesia; PT PhaprosTbk, Central Java, Semarang, 50148, Indonesia
