Wastewater treatment method utilizing white rot and brown rot fungi

• US 7,201,847 B1
• Filed: 01/05/2005
• Issued: 04/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael Bowling, Phil Adams
• Original Assignee: Michael Bowling, Phil Adams
• Inventors: Adams, Phil, Bowling, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): PRINCE JR, FREDDIE GARY
• Application Number:
  US11/029,538
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 210/601, 210/632, 210/906, 210/916, 210/917, 210/928, 210/602, 435/262, 435/262.5
• US Class Current: 210/602
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/308 Dyes; Colorants; Fluorescent agents
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/28 from the paper or cellulose industry
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 3/34 characterised by the microorganisms used
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 210/906 Phosphorus containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 210/916 Odor, e.g. including control or abatement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 210/917 Color
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 210/928 Paper mill waste, e.g. white water, black liquor treated

Abstract

A method of treating wastewater sources such as sewer systems or those from pulp and paper mills which contain biomass waste involves adding white rot fungi in the presence of glucose. While glucose may be directly added to the wastewater source, it has been found to be more economical to reduce or substantially remove color from the wastewater by additionally adding brown rot fungi in the presence of cellulose and hemi-cellulose. The addition of bacteria has also been found helpful to improve the reduction in color, biological oxygen demand, as well as chemical oxygen demand in wastewater sludge reduction.

Claims

1. A method of treating wastewater comprising:

a) providing a source containing a biomass in at least one of a paper, pulp, and a human waste water source;

b) adding a supply of simple sugar to the wastewater source and adding at least one of the bacteria selected from the group consisting of clostridium cellulolyticum, clostridium celluloverans, arthrobacteria species, streptomyces species and proteus mirabilis to the wastewater source;

c) adding a supply of white rot fungus into the wastewater source in the presence of the simple sugar wherein the simple sugar accelerates the production of phenoloxidases from the white rot fungus which break down at least a portion of the biomass; and

d) as a result of the breaking down of the biomass, thereby decreasing at least one of a phosphorous amount, an amount of color in the wastewater, an odor of the wastewater, an ammonia amount in the wastewater, an amount of volume by weight solids suspended in the wastewater, and an amount of sludge that can not be effectively separated from the wastewater sludge.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the wastewater source provided is from a waste water source containing one of a human waste and dyes.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the white rot fungus added is at least one of phanerochaete chrysosporium, phanerochaete sorida, pluerotis ostreatus, bjerkandera adusta, pycnoporus cinnabariunus, trametes versicolor, and stagonospora gigaspora.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the white rot fungus is allowed to grow to a population in the range of about 10⁶–

10¹⁶ CFU/ml in the wastewater source.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the white rot fungus is added through seeding one of a single step, in several steps over time, and continuous.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein breaking down of the biomass further controls a level of filamentous bacteria in the wastewater source.

7. A method of treating wastewater comprising:

a) providing a source containing a biomass in at least one of a paper, pulp, and a human waste water source;

b) adding a supply of simple sugar to the wastewater source by converting at least some of the biomass to glucose by a brown rot fungus;

c) adding a supply of white rot fungus into the wastewater source in the presence of the simple sugar wherein the simple sugar accelerates the production of phenoloxidases from the white rot fungus which break down at least a portion of the biomass; and

d) as a result of the breaking down of the biomass, thereby decreasing at least one of a phosphorous amount, an amount of color in the wastewater, an odor of the wastewater, an ammonia amount in the wastewater, an amount of volume by weight solids suspended in the wastewater, and an amount of sludge that can not be effectively separated from the wastewater sludge.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of adding the brown rot fungus to the wastewater source wherein at least one of prior to the step of adding the white rot fungus and contemporaneous with the step of adding white rot fungus.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the brown rot fungus added is at least one of trichoderma ressei, trichoderma hazanium, aspergillus versicolor, chaetomium bolichotricum, fusarium, and solani.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the brown rot fungus is allowed to grow to a population in the range of about 10⁶—

about 10¹⁶ CFU/ml.

11. A method of treating wastewater comprising:

a) providing a wastewater source having biomass comprising at least one of human waste, dye and other organic matter in contact therewith;

b) adding brown rot fungi into the wastewater source in the presence of the at least one of human waste, dye and other organic matter;

c) allowing the brown rot fungi to convert at least some of the at least one of human waste, dye and other organic matter into glucose; and

d) as a result of the breaking down of the biomass, thereby decreasing at least one of an odor of the wastewater, an ammonia amount in the wastewater, an amount of volume by weight solids suspended in the wastewater, and an amount of sludge that can not be effectively separated from the wastewater sludge.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

adding white rot fungi into the wastewater source; and

allowing the white rot fungi to produce phenoloxidases in the presence of glucose to degrade at least one of color, odor, ammonia quantity, phosphorous quantity, an amount of volume by weight solids suspended in the wastewater, and an amount of sludge that can not be effectively separated from the wastewater sludge.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the brown rot fungus is added through seeding one of a single step, in several steps over time, and continuous.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the white rot fungi added is at least one taken from the group of phanerochaete chrysosporium, phanerochaete sorida, pluerotis ostreatus, bjerkandera adusta, pycnorporus cinnabariunus, trametes versicolor, and stagonospora gigaspora.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of adding at least one bacteria selected from the group of clostridium cellulolyticum, clostridium celluloverans, arthrobactria species, streptomyces species and proteus mirabilis.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the brown rot fungi added is at least one taken from the group of trichoderma ressei, trichoderma hazanium, aspergillus versicolor and chaetomium dolichotricum, fusarium and solani.

17. A method of treating wastewater comprising:

a) providing a wastewater source having biomass

b) adding brown rot fungi into the wastewater source in the presence of the biomass;

c) allowing the brown rot fungi to convert at least some of the glucose;

d) adding white rot fungi into the wastewater source; and

e) allowing the white rot fungi to produce phenoloxidases in the presence of glucose to assist in treating the wastewater source to perform at least one of;

i) color reduction;

ii) sludge reduction;

iii) sludge digestion;

iv) phosphorous reduction;

v) odor reduction;

vi) control filamentous bacteria;

vii) ammonia reduction;

viii) reducing BOD;

ix) reducing COD; and

x) improving separation of water from sludge.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein biomass sludge further comprises one of human waste, and the phenoloxidases from the white rot fungi break down at least a portion of the human waste, dye and the phenoxidas from the white rot fungi break down at least a portion of the dye and other organic matter, and the phenoxidas from the white rot fungi break down at least a portion of the other organic matter.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein comprising the step of adding at least one of an arthrobacter species, a streptomyces species, proteus mirabilis, clostridium cellololyticum, and clostridium celluloverans.