White-rot fungi and their enzymes for the treatment of industrial dye effluents

White-rot fungi produce various isoforms of extracellular oxidases including laccase, Mn peroxidase and lignin peroxidase (LiP), which are involved in the degradation of lignin in their natural lignocellulosic substrates. This ligninolytic system of white-rot fungi (WRF) is directly involved in the degradation of various xenobiotic compounds and dyes. This review summarizes the state of the art in the research and prospective use of WRF and their enzymes (lignin-modifying enzymes, LME) for the treatment of industrial effluents, particularly dye containing effluents. The textile industry, by far the most avid user of synthetic dyes, is in need of ecoefficient solutions for its colored effluents. The decolorization and detoxification potential of WRF can be harnessed thanks to emerging knowledge of the physiology of these organisms as well as of the biocatalysis and stability characteristics of their enzymes. This knowledge will need to be transformed into reliable and robust waste treatment processes. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.