Bacterial decolorization and detoxification of black liquor from rayon grade pulp manufacturing paper industry and detection of their metabolic products

▸ A novel bacterial consortium comprising Serratia marcescens, Citrobacter sp. and Klebsiella pneumoniae showed decolorization and detoxification of black liquor at high pollution load (COD: 18700 mg l-1; Lignin: 100 mg l-1) discharged from rayon grade pulp manufacturing industry. ▸ The consortium has broad range of pH tolerance and ligninolytic activity (MnP and laccase), reduced COD and color up to 83% and 85%, respectively. ▸ The bacterial decolorized black liquor showed formation of new metabolic product and reduces the toxicity up to 70%.