Decolorization and bio degradation metabolism of azo dyes by Pseudomonas S-42

A bacterial strain was isolated from activated sludge and has been identified as Pseudomonas sp. S-42 capable of decolorizing azo dyes such as Diamira Brilliant Orange RR (DBO-RR), Direct Brown M (DBM), Eriochrome Brown R (EBR) and so on. The growing cells, intact cells, cell-free extract and purified enzyme of strain S-42 could decolorize azo dyes under similar conditions at the optimum pH 7.0 and temperature of 37℃. The efficiencies of decolorization for DBO-RR, DBM, EBR with intact cells stood more than 90%. When the cell concentration was 15mg (wet)/ml and the reaction time was 5 hours, the decolorizing activities of intact cells for above three azo dyes were 1.75, 2.4, 0.95 μg dye/mg cell, respectively. Cell-free extract and purified enzyme belonged to azoreductase with molecular weight about 34000±2000 and Vmax and Km values for DBO-RR of 13μmol/mg protein/nun and 54μmol, respectively. The results from the detection of the biodegradation products of DBO-RR by spectrophotometric and NaNO₂ reaction methods showed that the biodegradation of azo dyes was initiated by the reducing cleavage of azo bonds. The biodegradation metabolism path for DBO-RR by Psued. S-42 was hypothesized.