Influence of Surfactants on Dye Removal and Growth of Aspergillus versicolor - an Effective Way to Decolorize Textile Dye

This study examined the reactive dye decolorization activities of sodium dodecyl sulfate (anionic), cetylpyridinium chloride monohydrate cetylpyridinium chloride monohydrate (CPC) (cationic) surfactants, and their influence on fungal growth. The effect of CPC on Remazol Blue (RB) bioremoval by Aspergillus versicolor was investigated in low-cost molasses medium. The optimum pH (3-7) and CPC (0.1-1 mM) concentrations for fungal RB decolorization were achieved in molasses medium with 50 mg/L RB. It was observed that the CPC effectively removed RB due to electrostatic interactions and it was well tolerated by fungus. Maximum decolorization in the presence of CPC occured at pH 6. Increasing the toxic CPC concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1 mM) decreased fungal growth from 5.08 to 2.87, 1.40, 0.21, and 0.07 mg/L dry biomass, respectively, but enhanced fungal decolorization, respectively (63.2, 78.7, 92, 95.75, and 98.9%). As the augmentation of CPC concentration reduced energy costs by reducing effective decolorization period from 96 to 24 h, surfactant stimulated fungal decolorization method may provide highly efficient, inexpensive, and time-saving procedure in treatment of textile effluents.