BIODEGRADATION OF TEXTILE AZO-DYES BY PHANEROCHAETE-CHRYSOSPORIUM

Of 18 commercially used textile dyes, eight were degraded by the white rot fungus, Phanerochaete chrysosporium, by 40 to 73% based on decrease of colour. Both the lignin-degrading enzyme system of P. chrysosporium and adsorption to its cell mass were involved in the degradation of the diazo dye, Reactofix Gold Yellow. Degradation was best achieved by adding the dye to the medium and then inoculating with pre-grown mycelium; inoculation with spores resulted mainly in dye adsorption.