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The removal of black ink via Emericella quadrilineata as a green alternative technique to recycling ink waste papers

Summary

Researchers discovered that a fungus called Aspergillus quadrilineatus can effectively remove black ink from waste paper, offering an eco-friendly alternative to harmful chemical deinking methods. Under optimal conditions, the fungus removed 97% of ink in just 6 days by absorbing it onto its surface and breaking it down with special enzymes. This biological approach could help reduce environmental pollution from paper recycling while making the process more cost-effective and sustainable.

Background

Deinking of waste papers traditionally uses large amounts of chemicals causing environmental contamination. Biological methods using microorganisms offer environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional chemical deinking processes. Fungi have shown potential for removing printing inks and various colored contaminants through biosorption and enzymatic degradation mechanisms.

Objective

This study aimed to identify and isolate Aspergillus quadrilineatus from ink-contaminated soil and determine optimal physiological conditions for its deinking ability. The research investigated the mechanisms underlying the fungus’s capacity to remove black ink from paper and liquid solutions.

Results

Aspergillus quadrilineatus achieved 90% deinking ability and under optimal conditions (pH 6, 30°C, 20,000 mg/L ink concentration, three fungal discs) reached 97% deinking after 6 days. SEM and FT-IR analyses revealed monolayer surface adsorption as the primary mechanism. The fungus produced lipase and xylanase enzymes, which contributed to ink removal from both liquid solutions and ink-loaded cellulose filter paper.

Conclusion

Aspergillus quadrilineatus demonstrates significant potential as a green biological alternative for removing black toner ink from waste papers. The combination of biosorption and enzymatic degradation mechanisms provides an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach to ink waste recycling. Further research is needed to scale up this application for practical industrial implementation.
  • Published in:PLoS One,
  • Study Type:Experimental Study,
  • Source: 10.1371/journal.pone.0324022
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