CYANIDE DEGRADATION BY FUNGAL ISOLATES FROM CASSAVA FACTORY EFFLUENT

摘要

Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma sp. isolated from the cassava factory effluent were examined for cyanide degradation. A. niger showed 100% cyanide degradation of 100 ppm cyanide (KCN) concentration within 25 h where as Trichoderma sp. showed 100% degradation in 35 h of incubation by forming ammonia and CO_2 through the formation of formamide. A five times increase was observed in the biomass of A.niger and four times increase in that of Trichoderma sp. in cyanide containing minimal medium. The presence of these fungi in the effluent thus reduces cyanide toxicity.