The current investigation is the first report of utilization of Aspergillus brasiliensis for the decolorization of melanoidin in distillery effluent. The effluent generated from alcohol distilleries is one of the most complex wastewater with a high biological oxygen demand (BOD) and other organic, inorganic, and toxic constituents. The effluent contains melanoidin, a dark brown compound, which is difficult to remediate by using conventional technologies. The disposal of spent wash in the natural environment is hazardous and can deteriorate land and water resources. The decolorization of spent wash through physical and chemical methods remains unsuitable, and the only alternative to decolorize spent wash is biological treatment. In the current study, three fungal strains were isolated from the distillery waste and screened for their ability to decolorize melanoidin.The isolate RS2 exhibited maximum decolorization of 83% and was identified as Aspergillus brasiliensis. Its optimum growth temperature was 37EC, and the maximum efficiency was recorded after 120 h of incubation. Nutritional sources were investigated for the fungi showing the maximum decolorization of melanoidin, and starch and peptone were found to be the best carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. At 1.5% starch concentration and 1.5% peptone concentration, the decolorization level attained was 87.45% and 88.74%, respectively. A. brasiliensis exhibited a high potential to decolorize melanoidin. The decolorization percentage was high, which makes this fungus a potential candidate for use at the industrial scale for the bioremediation of spent wash.
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