The limited availability of fresh water is a global crisis. The growing consumption of fresh water due to anthropogenic activities has taken its toll on available water resources. Unfortunately, water bodies are still used as sinks for waste water from domestic and industrial sources. Azo dyes account for the majority of all dye stuffs, produced because they are extensively used in the textile, paper, food, leather, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. Bacterial degradation of azo dyes under certain environmental conditions has gained momentum as a method of treatment, as these are inexpensive, eco-friendly, and can be applied to wide range of such complex dyes. The enzymatic approach has attracted much interest with regard to degradation of azo dyes from wastewater. The oxido-reductive enzymes are responsible for generating highly reactive free radicals that undergo complex series of spontaneous cleavage reactions, due to the susceptibility of enzymes to inactivation in the presence of the other chemicals. The oxidoreductive enzymes, such as lignin peroxidase, laccases, tyrosinase, azoreductase, riboflavin reductive, polyphenol oxidase, and aminopyrine n-demethylase, have been mainly utilized in the bacterial degradation of azo dye. Along with the reductive enzymes, some investigators have demonstrated the involvement in some other enzymes, such as Lignin peroxides and other enzymes. This chapter reviews the importance of enzymes in dye degradation.
Bacterial Degradation of Azo Dye Congo Red by Bacillus sp.
