Decolorization of Acid red 151 by Aspergillus niger SA1 under different physicochemical conditions

The fungal strain A. niger SA1 isolated from textile wastewater pond proved to be an important source of remediation (decolorization/degradation) for textile dye, AR 151 (Reactive diazo dye) under different physicochemical conditions. Decolorization assays of AR 151 were carried out in Simulated textile effluent under shake flask condition for 8 days. Decolorization (at 20 mg l(-1) of dye) and related biomass production overall decreased with increase in pH from 5 to 9, at 30 degrees C. It was maximum (95.71%) at pH 5 with highest amount of three residual products (36.91 (alpha-naphthol = 5.72) (sulfanilic acid = 24.81) (aniline = 6.38)) besides 2.05 mg ml(-1) of biomass production at an optimum concentration 6 and 0.1 mg l(-1) of glucose and urea respectively. The formation of the three products followed a quite different pattern at different pH values, however, it was considerably low (Total = 2.81 mg l(-1)) compared to the amount of decolorization (67.26%) at pH 8. Decolorization (95-97%) was most favored under mesophilic temperature (25-45 degrees C). It increased i.e., 90-98% with subsequent increase in dye from 10 to 100 mg l(-1), kept, >= 50% below 400 mg l(-1) and drastically declined to 17% at 500 mg l(-1) of dye. Apparently, decolorization is found to be associated with fungal growth and hyphal uptake mechanism (Biosorption/Bioadsorption), however, mineralization of AR 151 and related products under different operational conditions also suggested a metabolically mediated decolorization/degradation.