Preliminary scale-up of fungal ligninolytic enzyme production in Fernbach flasks and application to the decolorization of synthetic dyes.
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Universidad Nacional de Colombia - Sede Medellín
These authors had equal contribution to this work
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The use of enzymes has gained significant relevance due to their low ecological footprint and high efficiency across diverse industrial and biotechnological processes. Among them, ligninolytic enzymes such as laccase and manganese peroxidase stand out for their ability to degrade toxic compounds, including synthetic dyes. This study focuses on solid-state fermentation (SSF) as a novel and cost-effective approach for producing an enzymatic extract capable of decolorizing synthetic dyes used in the textile industry. Rice husk residue was employed as both support and substrate source, and the fungus Trametes pubescens was employed as the enzyme-producing organism. Statistical tools, including the Plackett-Burman design, factorial design, and central composite design, were applied to optimize the fermentation process in Erlenmeyer flasks, yielding an enzymatic activity of 20.9 U/gds. The process was subsequently scaled up 20-fold in Fernbach flasks, resulting in an enzymatic extract with an activity of 12 U/gds. Finally, decolorization assays using enzymatic extracts from both Erlenmeyer and Fernbach scales showed values above 85% for malachite green at 50 and 100 ppm, and 48% and 41% for brilliant blue at 50 and 100 ppm, respectively. These findings highlight that the enzymatic extract obtained through a sustainable methodology such as SSF represents a promising alternative for the treatment of highly persistent pollutants, such as synthetic dyes.