Full Length Research Paper

Comparison of synthetic dye decolorization by whole cells and a laccase enriched extract from Trametes versicolor DSM11269

Monnat Theerachat^1,2,3, Sandrine Morel^4,5,6, David Guieysse^4,5,6, Magali Remaud-Simeon^4,5,6 and Warawut Chulalaksananukul^2,3*

¹Biological Science Program, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, 254 Phyathai Road, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.

²Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, 254 Phyathai Road, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.

³Biofuels by Biocatalysts Research Unit, Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, 254 Phyathai Road, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.

⁴Université de Toulouse; INSA, UPS, INP, LISBP, 135 Avenue de Rangueil, F-31077 Toulouse, France.

⁵CNRS, UMR5504, F-31400 Toulouse, France.

⁶INRA, UMR792, Ingénierie des Systèmes Biologiques et des Procédés, F-31400 Toulouse, France.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: warawut.c@chula.ac.th. Tel: ±66 22 18 54 82. Fax: ±66 22 18 54 82.

Accepted 14 November, 2011

   Abstract

Trametes versicolor strain DSM 11269 was found to decolorize six out of seven different synthetic dyes when grown on dye-containing agar plates. Using a laccase enzyme extract, enriched from the fungal liquid culture supernatant, the anthraquinone derivative dyes (Alizarin Red S and Remazol Brilliant Blue R) were decolorized in three hours at 50°C by 55 and 70%, respectively. The four azo compounds (Amaranth, Cibacron Brilliant Red 3B-A, Direct Blue 71 and Reactive Black 5), and the indigo molecule (Indigo Carmine), showed a higher resistance to decolorization (<10% in 6 h), although of them (Amaranth, Reactive Black 5 and Indigo Carmine) were efficiently decolorized by T. versicolor in agar plate assays. This suggests that different oxidizing activities from laccase alone may be involved in the decolorization process.

Key words: Synthetic dyes, Trametes versicolor, decolorization, white-rot fungus