title: Use of laccase together with redox mediators to decolourize Remazol Brilliant Blue R.
abstract: A pure fungal laccase, obtained from a commercial formulation used in the textile industry, did not decolourize Remazol Brilliant Blue R (RBBR). Decolourization was only observed when a small molecular weight redox mediator was added together with the laccase. Under the conditions specified, violuric acid (5.7 mM) was the most effective mediator studied and almost complete decolourization was observed within 20 min. In contrast, 1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HOBT, 11 mM) decolourized RBBR at about a two-fold slower rate and to a lesser extent. Also, higher concentrations of HOBT were inhibitory which could be due to inactivation of laccase by the toxic HOBT radical. The commercial laccase formulation that contained phenothiazine-10-propionic acid as the mediator was least effective, giving 30% decolourization under equivalent conditions. We suggest that similar laccase plus mediator systems could be used for the detoxification of related anthraquinone textile dyes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Textile Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Minho, 4800, Guimaraes, Portugal.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: de Amorim
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Costa-Ferreira
mesh_terms: D000880:Anthraquinones / Q000737:chemistry*; D003116:Color; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D007700:Kinetics; D042845:Laccase; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry*; D011395:Promazine / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000880:Anthraquinones; D004396:Coloring Agents; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D042845:Laccase; C024758:Remazol Brilliant Blue R; D011395:Promazine