Decolorization and Complete Degradation of Methyl Red by a Mixed Culture

Synthetic dyes, azo dyes in particular, are widely found in the effluents from textile industries. The persistence and toxicity of these compounds cause adverse impacts in the receiving streams. A mixed culture isolated from a domestic wastewater treatment plant was found to remove the colour of the azo dye, methyl red, efficiently. Total decolorization and degradation occurred within 18 h. The mixed culture could degrade 700 mgl^–1 of methyl red efficiently in the presence of 200 mgl^–1 of glucose, whereas in the absence of glucose it could degrade only 100 mgl^–1 of methyl red. The mixed culture, when suspended in phosphate buffer along with methyl red at 100 mgl^–1 concentration could degrade methyl red efficiently within 2 h of incubation. The pH of the medium decreased continuously during degradation. After the complete removal of initial methyl red, another 100 mgl^–1 was added to the culture filtrate and incubated further. The mixed microbial cultures could degrade methyl red efficiently through three cycles but further degradation was not possible as the pH of the medium decreased to 3.5.