Mateja Tavčar1, Kateřina Svobodová2, Janja Kuplenk1, Čeněk Novotný2, Aleksander Pavko1
1Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana,
Aškerčeva 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
2Institute of Microbiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Videnska
1083, 142 20 Prague 4, Czech Republic
Absrtract
Irpex lacteus is a white rot fungus
known to decolorize various synthetic dyes. Decolorization of the azo dye
Reactive Orange 16 by immobilized cultures of I. lacteus was compared in three
different reactor systems of laboratory size: small and large trickle-bed
reactors and a rotating-disc reactor. The highest dye decolorization efficiency
(90% in 3 days) was observed in the small trickle bed reactor. The production of
extracellular ligninolytic enzymes during dye decolorization was measured and
the involvement of mycelium-associated activities in the decolorization process
assessed. A repeated batch performance test demonstrated the potential of
immobilized fungal cultures to decolorize synthetic dyes over long time periods.
Keywords: Irpex lacteus, dye decolorization, trickle bed reactor, rotating disc reactor, laccase, manganese-dependent peroxidase