Microbial Technologies for Dye Wastewater Treatment
Summary
Industrial discharge of synthetic dyes into aquatic environments poses a pressing global challenge due to the persistence, toxicity and carcinogenic potential of many colourants. Conventional physicochemical treatments often generate secondary waste, incur high costs or demand intensive energy inputs. Microbial technologies offer sustainable alternatives by harnessing bacteria, fungi, algae and their enzymes to adsorb, transform or mineralise dye molecules. These approaches range from free-cell biodegradation in bioreactors to immobilised systems that enhance microbial stability, reusability and tolerance to fluctuations in pH and temperature. Hybrid strategies combine adsorption and biodegradation, exploiting biomass supports such as sodium alginate, biochar or magnetic beads to trap dyes and facilitate enzymatic breakdown. Advances in bioaugmentation, microbial consortia design and genetic engineering have improved the kinetics and spectrum of dye removal, while integrated systems couple anaerobic decolourisation with aerobic mineralisation for complete detoxification. Field trials and pilot-scale reactors demonstrate the feasibility of these technologies across diverse effluent types, underlining their potential to reduce environmental impact and support circular water‐reuse schemes in textile and dye‐processing industries.
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Microbial Technologies for Dye Wastewater Treatment publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in microbial technologies for dye wastewater treatment across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Bioadsorption: Passive binding of dye molecules onto microbial cell surfaces or support materials.
Biodegradation: Enzymatic breakdown of dyes into smaller, less coloured or non‐toxic compounds by microorganisms.
Immobilisation: Confinement of microbial cells or enzymes within a matrix (e.g., alginate beads) to enhance stability and reusability.
Decolourisation: Reduction or elimination of dye chromophores through microbial or enzymatic action.
Microbial consortium: Deliberate mixture of two or more microbial species that cooperate to improve treatment performance.
Laccase: A fungal or bacterial multicopper oxidase enzyme that catalyses oxidation of phenolic and azo dye structures.
References
- Immobilization of Biomass Materials for Removal of Refractory Organic Pollutants from Wastewater. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2022).
- Insights into the Synergistic Effect of Fungi and Bacteria for Reactive Red Decolorization. Journal of Spectroscopy (2014).
- A Review of the Strategic Use of Sodium Alginate Polymer in the Immobilization of Microorganisms for Water Recycling. Polymers (2024).
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