Decolorization of Textile Reactive Dyes and Effluents by Biofilms of Trametes polyzona LMB-TM5 and Ceriporia sp. LMB-TM1 Isolated from the Peruvian Rainforest

The textile industry creates environmental problems due to the release of highly polluting effluents containing substances from different stages of dyeing that are resistant to light, water, and various chemicals, and most of them are difficult to decolorize because of its synthetic origin. The biological degradation of dyes is an economical and environmentally friendly alternative. The aim of this work was to use biofilms of basidiomycete fungi isolated from the Peruvian rainforest for the decolorization of synthetic reactive dyes, considering the advantages of these systems which include better contact with the surrounding medium, resistance to chemical and physical stress, and higher metabolic activity. Among several isolates, two were selected for their capacity of rapid decolorization of several dyes and their biofilm-forming ability. These strains were molecularly identified as Trametes polyzona LMB-TM5 and Ceriporia sp. LMB-TM1 and used in biofilm cultivation for the decolorization of six reactive dyes and textile effluents. Azo dyes were moderately decolorized by both strains, but Remazol Brilliant Blue R (anthraquinone) and Synozol Turquoise Blue HF-G (phthalocyanine) were highly decolorized (97 and 80 %, respectively) by T. polyzona LMB-TM5. Degradation products were found by HPLC analysis. Simulated effluents made of a mixture of six dyes were moderately decolorized by both strains, but a real textile effluent was highly (93 %) decolorized by T. polyzona LMB-TM5. In summary, T. polyzona LMB-TM5 was more efficient than Ceriporia sp. LMB-TM1 for the decolorization of textile dyes and effluents at high initial rates enabling the development of in-plant continuous biofilm processes.