Application of fungal biomass for the removal of dyes: a bioremediation study by HPLC analysis approach

This study investigates the impact of agitation speed on the ability of <i>Penicillium chrysogenum</i> to remove four different dyes: Everzol Black B (EBB), Basic Yellow (BY), Reactive Red (RR), and Acid Blue 62 (AB62). The results revealed that each dye achieved its maximum removal efficiency at different time points. For instance, AB62 reached 94.6% removal efficiency by day six, while RR and BY attained maximum removal rates of 88.7% and 89.4%, respectively, by day eight. EBB also showed a removal efficiency of 84.1% on day eight. These findings highlight the potential of <i>Penicillium</i> species in bioremediation applications. To validate these results, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed to analyze the of the dye degradation. The HPLC profiles, which compared the retention times and peak intensities of treated and untreated samples, confirmed significant dye degradation. This was evidenced by the disappearance of original peaks and the emergence of new peaks, indicating structural breakdown. For example, the disappearance of the 472 nm peak and the appearance of a 136 nm peak for EBB suggested substantial molecular changes. Similarly, for AB62, degradation was indicated by the removal of peaks at 472, 361, 329, and 279 nm, along with the appearance of a new peak at 136 nm, suggesting the formation of lower-mass fragments. The patterns of peak removal and formation for BY and RR further supported the successful breakdown of complex dye molecules into simpler forms. These results not only validate the efficacy of <i>Penicillium chrysogenum</i> in dye degradation but also underscore the utility of HPLC in monitoring biotransformation processes.