Molasses based distillery spentwash remaining after the fermentation
and distillation of alcohol from sugarcane molasses
has a very high chemical oxygen demand (COD > 50,000 mg L1),
and in spite of stringent standards, untreated or partially treated
effluent often ends up in water bodies and also on land surrounding
the distillery. The pollution potential of this waste is considerably
higher than the limit specified in the Environment
(Protection) Act of India of 1986, which poses serious threat to
water quality in surrounding regions by lowering pH of the stream,
increasing the organic load, depleting the oxygen content, destroying
aquatic life and creating foul odour (Joshi, 1999). The treatment
of such wastewater has assumed importance due to the restricted
amounts of water suitable for direct use, the high price of the purification
installations and the necessity of utilizing the waste products
(Converti et al., 1990).