1. Introduction
The textile industry produces large quantities of wastewater
containing color materials that are becoming a major
environmental concern. Stringent environmental regulations
regarding the control of textile effluent are enforced in several
countries [1–3]. In India, an average mill producing 60×
104 m of fabric per day is likely to discharge approximately
1.5 million liter per day of effluent [4] and the dyes containing
wastewater are drained into natural water bodies without
proper treatment. Untreated effluent from dyeing mills is
usually highly colored and thus particularly objectionable if
discharged into open water. Additionally, dyestuffs represent
a class of organic pollutants such that they or their derivatives
may be of a toxic nature and consequently their treatment
cannot depend on biodegradation alone [5,6]. Previou