Optimization of biodegradation yield of reactive blue 49: An integrated approach using response surface methodology based marine predators algorithm

Biodegradation involving the use of biological systems are proving to be more cost-effective, energy efficient and environmentally friendly method for treatment with dye. There are also some advantages of enzymatic degradation to remove pollutants from textile effluents. They are specific and selectable for the substrates. Moreover, the usage of enzymatic degradation with laccase has environmental and social dimensions of sustainable bio-economy when compared with commercial solutions. In this study, besides the conventional RSM (Response Surface Methodology) approaches, the performance of a new metaheuristic, MPA (Marine Predators Algorithm) integrated with RSM has also been tested. The effect of four independent variables time, enzyme amount, agitation speed, and initial dye concentration have been studied to obtain maximum decolorization. Two major techniques of RSM, namely Box Behnken Design (BBD) and Central Composite Design (CCD) have been used to determine optimal levels of parameters. The highest decolorization efficiency (%) of Reactive Blue 49 (RB49) has been achieved as 92.82% with BBD and 90.56% with CCD. Maximum efficiency for BBD based MPA as being 94.69% has been obtained at 70.96 min, 1.5 mL, 74.63 rpm, and 99.09 ppm. For CCD based MPA, the level of efficiency has been obtained as 93.1% at 39.69 min, 1 mL, 72.07 rpm, and 74.41 ppm. The results of MPA indicate that using metaheuristics combined with RSM is a suitable and sustainable way to optimize parameters of RB49% for decolorization.