ABSTRACT
Alcohol distilleries contribute significantly to the economic growth and development of countries around the globe. Nevertheless, from the environmental point of view, this industry also inevitably tends to increase the accumulation of wastes, which demand considerable attention. The treatment of effluent from distillery has become a serious challenge at present due to the high organic content and the presence of recalcitrant compounds like melanoidin, phenolics, etc. The typical dark brown color of distillery effluent is imparted mainly due to the presence of melanoidins, caramels, and hexose alkaline degradation products; thus, color removal is one of the main challenges faced by distilleries, which is a current issue of discussion and regulation all over the world. The discharge of colored effluent by these industries causes problems such as environmental damage, health hazards, and aesthetic aspects. Hence, color is the first contaminant in the effluent, which should be recognized and has to be removed before it can be discharged into the environment. This chapter intends to provide insight into the major colorant and their properties present in distillery effluent.
