MICROBIAL DEGRADATION OF AZO DYES USING Bacillus subtilis

Environmental pollution causes a major challenge of civilization today where the textile dyes constitute a major source of pollution. Dyes in the textile industry are difficult to remove by conventional waste water treatment methods since they are stable to light and oxidizing agents and are resistant to aerobic digestion. Presence of carcinogens has also been reported in combined waste water of dyeing and printing units. Azo dye like methylene blue and methyl red are used in textile industries can be degraded easily using bacteria like Bacillus subtilis. Various concentrations of methylene blue and methyl red were taken as 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 ppm. Bacillus subtilis degradation property was found in methyl red compare to methylene blue (10ppm), followed by plasmid was isolated and taken for PCR amplification. In agarose gel electrophoresis the plasmid was found at 630kda- toluene gene. Degraded methyl red was sprayed on green gram (plant) and its growth was observed for three weeks along with control. The test plant was found giving high growth and was estimated with its chlorophyll content.