COMPARISON OF PHOSPHATE REMOVAL FROM WASTEWATER BY CHICKEN FEATHER HYDROLYSATE AND AGAROSE- IMMOBILIZED MICROBIAL CELLSOghenerobor B. Akpor, Ifeoluwa I. Komolafe, Ikponmwosa O. Evbuomwan and Chioma F. NnajiAbstract The discharge of untreated wastewater with excessive nutrient concentration is known to cause eutrophication in receiving water bodies. This study was aimed at comparing the effectiveness of chicken feather hydrolysate and the immobilized cell of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Aspergillus brasilliense in the removal of phosphate from wastewater. The study was carried out at varying conditions, which were the effect of initial inoculum size of the immobilized cells used or the initial quantity of the feather hydrolysate, effect of pH, effect of static and agitated conditions and the effect of batch cycle in the removal of phosphate from wastewater in presence of the feather hydrolysate or immobilized cells. The results obtained revealed a direct relationship between phosphate adsorption and quantity of hydrolysate used. In presence of the feather hydrolysate, pH and incubation condition (agitated or static) did not show any visible effect in phosphate adsorption from the wastewater unlike in presence of the immobilized cells, where remarkable phosphate removal was observed under agitated conditions and at pH 8 and 10. In addition, phosphate decrease in the wastewater in presence of the feather hydrolysates or immobilized cells was observed only during the first and second batch cycles. Comparatively, phosphate decrease in the wastewater was significantly higher in presence of the feather hydrolysates than the immobilized cells. The findings of this study could help in the development of low cost, ecofriendly and effective materials for application in wastewater treatment systems. |