Screening, Production and Partial Characterization of a Thermostable Laccase from Trametes sp. Isolate B7 with Biotechnological Potentials

The search for efficient and green oxidation technologies has increased interest in utilization of laccases in non conventional methods. Laccases catalyze a wide range of substrates due to low substrate specificity and strong oxidative potentials. Challenges to large-scale enzyme utilization include, low enzyme activity and instability which restrict use in many areas of biotechnology. In the study, 59 fungi comprising Aspergillus niger (40%), Trichoderma harzianum (31%), Aspergillus flavus (9.0%), Trichoderma viride (5.0%), Fusarium oxysporum (5.0%), Rhizopus stolonifer (5.0%), Trametes sp. (3.0%) and Aspergillus nidulans (2.0%) were isolated and screened for laccase production. Plate screening test showed 57.5%, 34.0% and 8.5% of fungi were laccase-positive on ABTS, Guaiacol, and α-naphthol agar respectively. Isolates were further screened in liquid cultures, and the highest laccase producer identified molecularly. Trametes sp isolate B7 was selected for solid state fermentation (SSF). Laccase production in SSF was highest at pH 5.0 (2356 U/mL). The purified laccase showed high activity (pH 3.0 - 6.0) and stability (pH 3.0 - 8.5) using ABTS. It was active (20 - 80°C) and thermostable (30 - 80°C) with optimum stability at 70°C (100% for 1 hour). The percentage decolourization of Phenol red were 28% and 36% using 1000 U/mL and 2000 U/mL crude laccases respectively. Similarly, RBBR (100%), Congo red (75%) and Malachite green (62%), and 77.4%, 64% and 28% were decolourized using 1000 U/mL and 2000 U/mL crude laccases respectively. ABTS agar was very reliable in large-scale screening for laccase which possessed thermostable property and degraded synthetic dyes without use of enzyme mediators. These attribute made the enzyme suitable for application in industry and biotechnology.

Screening of freshwater fungi for decolorizing multiple synthetic dyes

Abstract The biodegradation of synthetic dyes by fungi is emerging as an effective and promising approach. In the present study, freshwater fungal strains isolated from submerged woods were screened for the decolorization of 7 synthetic dyes. Subsequently, 13 isolates with high decolorization capability were assessed in a liquid system; they belonged to 9 different fungal species. Several strains exhibited a highly effective decolorization of multiple types of dyes. New absorbance peaks appeared after the treatment with 3 fungal strains, which suggests that a biotransformation process occurred through fungal biodegradation. These results showed the unexploited and valuable capability of freshwater fungi for the treatment of dye-containing effluents. The ability of certain fungi to decolorize dyes is reported here for the first time.

Catalyzed Mediator-Based Decolorization of Five Synthetic Dyes by Pleurotus ostreatus ARC280 Laccase.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate qualitatively the decolorization of five dyes by Pleurotus ostreatus (P. ostreatus) ARC280 using solid medium. The laccase produced by the fungus was used in terms of its concentration and thermal stability for enzymatic decolorization and also in combination with Hydroxybenzotriazole (HBT) as a redox mediator. Study Design: Qualitative evaluation of decolorization of dyes and determining the best conditions required for decolorization in the presence and absence of HBT. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Microbial Chemistry, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Division, National Research Centre (NRC), Cairo, Egypt, between January 2013 and February 2014. Methodology: P. ostreatus ARC280 fungal ability for dyes decolorization was qualitatively evaluated on solid medium containing (g/L): dye, 0.1; glucose, 10; agar, 30; 100 mL mineral solution and 100 mL wheat bran washing water obtained by boiling 50 g of wheat bran in 1000 mL of distilled water. The efficiency of decolorization was expressed in terms of decolorization percentage as follows: Decolorization (%) = 100 × Absorbance t0 - Absorbance tf Absorbance t0 Where Absorbance t0 is the absorbance at the optimumwavelength of the reaction mixture before incubation with the enzyme and Absorbance tf is the absorbance at the optimum wavelength after incubation time. Results: The enzyme was efficient in decolorizing Acid Blue C.I. 220 (100%), Dichlorophenol indophenol sodium salt D 5110 (92.6%) and Brilliant Green C.I. 42040 (78.6%) after 6 h of incubation at 30ºC. In the presence of HBT (1 mM), Lanasol Red 6G was greatly affected by HBT as a laccase mediator system with decolorization percentage of 53.85% instead of 10.90 in case of laccase alone, however the enzyme could not efficiently decolorize Foron Yellow Brown S 2RFLI dye even in presence of HBT. The decolorization efficiency of all dyes was decreased by increasing reaction temperature from 30 to 50ºC. The absorbance reduction at the maximum wavelength was recorded with all the tested dyes. Conclusion: The results obtained clearly confirmed the role of P. ostreatus ARC280 laccase and its mediated system in the decolorization of structurally different dyes.

Descoloração de efluentes aquosos sintéticos e têxtil contendo corantes índigo e azo via processos Fenton e foto-assistidos (UV e UV/H2O2) / Decolorization of synthetic and laundry wastewater containing indigo and azo dyes by the Fenton, photolytic and UV/H2O2 processes

No presente trabalho, processos de oxidação avançada, Fe2+/H2O2 e UV/H2O2, e de fotólise (UV) foram empregados na descoloração de dois efluentes sintéticos, contendo corantes tipo índigo e azo, e de um efluente de lavanderia industrial. Experimentalmente, soluções em concentração de 20 mg/L dos corantes índigo carmim e vermelho congo, respectivamente 43 µmol/L e 29 µmol/L, e o efluente têxtil (pH = 3) foram submetidos a diferentes condições oxidantes sob temperatura ambiente (27 ºC). As remoções de cor e de DQO foram avaliadas em cada sistema oxidativo estudado. Em geral, os resultados obtidos mostraram que os processos utilizados são muito promissores na descoloração dos efluentes. A descoloração completa das soluções foi alcançada nos processos Fenton e com UV/H2O2. Estudos cinéticos revelam que a taxa de descoloração em meio aquoso segue uma cinética de pseudo-primeira ordem em relação à concentração do corante.

In the present work, advanced oxidation processes, Fe2+/H2O2 and UV/H2O2, and direct photolysis (UV light) have been applied in the decolorization of two synthetic wastewater containing indigo and azo dyes and laundry effluent. Individual aqueous solutions containing 20 mg/L indigo carmine and congo red dyes (43 µmol/L and 29 µmol/L, respectively) and textile laundry wastewater at pH 3 were subjected to different experimental conditions in the oxidation reactions at room temperature (27 ºC). Color and COD removals were evaluated for each oxidation systems. The results showed that the utilized processes are able to successfully decolorize the wastewaters. Complete bleaching was achieved by Fenton and UV/H2O2. Also, kinetics investigations revealed that the decolorization follows pseudo-first order kinetic with respect to the dye concentration.