Biodegradation of malachite green by Ochrobactrum sp

Area of Science:

• Environmental Microbiology
• Bioremediation
• Dye Degradation

Background:

• Textile industry effluent poses environmental challenges due to persistent dye pollution.
• Malachite green (MG), a triphenylmethane dye, is widely used but exhibits toxicity.
• Developing efficient and eco-friendly methods for dye biodegradation is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and identify a microorganism capable of degrading malachite green (MG).
• To optimize operating parameters for enhanced MG biodegradation.
• To assess the toxicity of MG degradation products and study biodegradation kinetics.

Main Methods:

• Isolation and identification of a novel bacterial strain (Ochrobactrum sp. JN214485) using 16S rRNA analysis.
• Optimization of biodegradation parameters: temperature, pH, immobilized bead loading, and initial dye concentration.
• Confirmation of biodegradation using UV-visible spectroscopy and FTIR analysis; phytotoxicity testing and kinetic studies.

Main Results:

• Ochrobactrum sp. JN214485 demonstrated efficient biodegradation of malachite green.
• Optimal conditions for % degradation were identified as 30 °C, pH 6, 20 g/L immobilized bead loading, and 100 mg/L initial dye concentration.
• Extracellular enzymes were responsible for degradation, and the products showed reduced toxicity compared to MG. Activation energy was 10.65 kcal/mol.

Conclusions:

• The identified Ochrobactrum sp. is a promising agent for malachite green biodegradation.
• Optimized conditions enhance the efficiency of microbial dye degradation.
• This study offers a viable, less toxic biological treatment for textile wastewater containing malachite green.