Application of Weak Sinusoidal Magnetic Field on Flavobacterium Species in the Treatment of Paper Mill Effluent

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a preliminary study on the effects of sinusoidal magnetic fields on the growth and degradation potential of Flavobacterium species in paper mill effluents. The paper presents a brief account of the experimental set-up, protocol and the essential parameters employed. The study was carried out using a pure colony of Flavobacterium species and subjecting them to Sinusoidal Magnetic Fields (SMF) at different frequencies, intensities and duration of exposure in order to obtain the “frequency window” of optimum response. The organisms were subjected to 1 Hz (100 nT, 1500 nT and 4000 nT) for 5 hours per day for 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 20 days and to 10 Hz (100 nT, 1500 nT and 4000 nT) for 5 hours per days for 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 20 days. The organism has been primarily analyzed for its efficacy in the treatment of paper mill effluent by using a sinusoidal magnetic field. The growth kinetics of the bacterium with the application of sinusoidal magnetic fields was studied. As judged from the physico-chemical properties of the effluent, Flavobacterium species was found to have a four fold increase with respect to growth when exposed to SMF of 10 Hz, 100 nT for 30 hrs (5 hours per day for 6 days). The BOD, COD, lignin, phenol and protein content were found reduced in the effluent using SMF treated cells.

Pre-treatment of Flavobacterium species with Sinusoidal Magnetic Fields (SMF) appears to result in more effective degradation of the paper mill effluents.

Key Words:

• Sine Wave Magnetic Field
• Flavobacterium