A continuous flow reactor, inoculated with Aspergillus niger AN400, with total volume of 5 L was operated at 29oC, with eight hours of retention hydraulic time and 150 L.h-1 of air flow rate in order to remove 25 mg.L-1 of Congo Red dye from a synthetic wastewater. The feeding of the reactor, inoculated with Aspergillus niger AN400, was done in two phases: Phase I, with 0,5 g/L of saccharose and Phase II, with no saccharose. In Phase I, it was possible to verify efficiencies of organic matter and color (mg Pt.L-1) removal of 80 ± 16% and 82 ± 10%, respectively. In Phase II, the efficiency of organic matter removal was 75 ± 13% and color removal was 89 ± 7%. The higher removals of nutrients were achieved by the reactor in Phase I with 25% to ammonia, 90% to nitrite, 93% to nitrate and 21% to phosphorus. Apparently, the presence of saccharose improved the removal of the nutrients.
Aspergillus niger AN400; Continuous flow; Nutrients removal; Congo red
