Rapid decolourization of azo dyes by a new isolated higher manganese peroxidase producer: Phanerochaete sp. HSD

In the present paper, a strain of higher MnP producer, Phanerochaete sp. HSD, was screened and the important medium components influencing MnP production were optimized using fractional factorial design and central composite experimental design; statistical analysis suggested diammonium tartrate and Mn2+ were the important factors and under the optimum conditions, MnP activity reached 2613 ± 22 U/l, accorded with the predicted value from response surface analysis. The feasibility of using this fungus to decolourize azo dyes was examined too. Results indicated that crude enzyme solution of it could decolourize three azo dyes efficiently and speedily: for 120 and 350 mg/l of Congo red, 95% decolourization rate was observed at the 5th and 8th hour; for 200, 350 and 600 mg/l methyl orange, 95% decolourization rate was obtained at the 5th, 6th and 9th hour; furthermore, the decolourization rates of 150 and 300 mg/l of Eriochrome black T were up to 97.1% and 91.4% at the 7th and 13th hour, respectively. In addition, MnP played a crucial role in the decolourization process.