Affiliations: Department of Biotechnology, Ashok and Rita Patel
Institute of Integrated Study and Research in Biotechnology and Allied Sciences
(ARIBAS), Affiliated to Sardar Patel University New V.V. Nagar – 388120, Gujarat, India
Abstract: Synthetic dyes are extensively used in several industries including
textile, paper, printing, cosmetic and pharmaceutical. Dyes are released in
effluent from a wide variety of industries such as textile, tannery, packed
food, pulp and paper, paint and electroplating thus threatening various forms
of life. Non-white rot fungi Aspergillus flavus A6, Aspergillus fumigatus A23,
Aspergillus terreus A2 and white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium were
used to decolourize individual dyes, simulated textile effluent (STE) and real
textile wastewater (RTW). Fungi could effectively decolourize STE and RTW under
optimized conditions of medium (minimal salt medium and potato dextrose agar
medium), temperature (40°C for A. flavus A6 and 30°C for P.
chrysosporium), pH (4.0 for A. flavus A6 and 5.0 for P. chrysosporium) and
agitation (100 rpm for A. flavus A6 and P. chrysosporium). The decolourization
of STE by A. flavus A6 and P. chrysosporium was 73 and 62% respectively while
the decolourization of RTW by A. flavus A6 and P. chrysosporium was 76 and 68%
respectively after 7 d incubation. The mechanism of dye removal by the fungus
appeared to be mainly by adsorption and absorption and the biotransformation
occurred only after absorption of the dye. Analysis of samples before and after
treatment with fungus using TLC indicated the biotransformation of dye.
Keywords: Dyes, biotransformation, decolourization, A. flavus A6, P. chrysosporium
