Bioremediation of Azo-dyes by indicator fungi

M.N. Abubacker¹, A. Amatussalam² and D. Lidwin Amala¹

¹Post Graduate and Research Department of Botany, National College, Tiruchirappalli - 620 001, Tamil Nadu, India.

²Post Graduate and Research Department of Chemistry, National College, Tiruchirappalli - 620 001, Tamil Nadu, India.

Corresponding Author E-mail: abubacker_nct@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT: Indicator fungal isolates of synthetic azo-dyes polluted soils were used for bioremediation process of red and blue azo-dyes. The indicator fungal isolates are Aspergillus erythrocephalus NCBT 106, Cladosporium herbarum NCBT 147, Fusarium solani NCBT 163 and Humicola fuscorata NCBT 169. These fungal strains were able to decolorize the azo-red and blue dyes. Decolourization was assayed colorimetrically at 540 nm and percentage of decolourization was calculated. These indicator fungal isolates were able to utilize the dye as nitrogen source. The optimum concentration for both azo-red and azo-blue dye was 200 ppm. The maximum decolourization of azo-red dye by Aspergillus erythrocephalus NCBT 106 and azo-blue dye by Cladosporium herbarum NCBT 147 fungal strains at the end of 10th day of decolourization experiment were 85% and 80% respectively. These fungal isolates can be exploited as bioremediation agents in bioreactors to remove the pollutants through enzymatic degradation of these indicator fungal metabolism.

KEYWORDS:

Azo-red; and Azo-blue dyes; Bioremediation; Decolourization; Enzymatic degradation

[ HTML Full Text]