A Rapid Two-Step Bioremediation of the Anthraquinone Dye, Reactive Blue 4 by a Marine-Derived Fungus

A rapid two-step technique for bioremediation of the anthraquinone dye, the Reactive Blue 4 (RB4) by a marine-derived fungus is reported here. In the first step, 1,000 mg l(-1) of this dye treated with partially purified laccase of this fungus resulted in 61 % color removal and twofold decrease in chemical oxygen demand by 12 h. The metabolites formed during the enzymatic degradation were characterized by mass spectrometry, ultra performance liquid chromatography, and UV/visible spectroscopy. These analyses confirmed changes in the aromatic character of the parent dye and formation of low molecular weight phenolic compounds as the final products of the enzymatic degradation. Based on these results, the probable degradation products of RB4 were 2-formylbenzoic acid, 1,2,4,5-tetrahydroxy-3-benzoic acid, 2,3,4-trihydroxybenzenesulfonic acid, and 1,2,3,4-pentahydroxybenzene. In the second step, the enzyme-transformed dye solution subjected to sorption on the powdered fungal biomass resulted in a further reduction in color up to 93 % within 10 min. Sorption of the degraded dye was confirmed by the changes in the pattern of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectrum. The two-step treatment resulted in a decrease of 29 % in total carbon accompanied by twofold decrease in toxicity. This is the first report on decolorization, detoxification, and mineralization of RB4 by laccase from a marine-derived fungus.