Improvement of efficiency of dye removal by immobilization of fungal biomass

One of the ways to increase the efficiency of the decolorization process is the immobilization of biomass. In order to improve the efficiency of the dyes removal, a set of tests were carried out. The immobilized mycelium of the following strains: Pleurotus ostreatus (BWPH), Hypholoma fasciculare (L3) and Pluteus sp. (RSW3) were used to remove dyes from different classes (azo, antraquinone and triphenylmethane dyes). Two types of carriers were used – natural and synthetic. It was shown that the immobilization of the mycelium on the carriers allowed for the complete decolorization but not for all dyes. It was noted that the efficiency of the process depended on the strain, dye and carrier used for immobilization. Strain RSW3 (immobilized on pistachio shell) and RWP17 (immobilized on sponge) removed completely the RBBR anthraquinone dye, and almost all Evans blue. In case of brilliant green almost all dye was removed by strain L3 immobilized on pistachio shell.