Synergistic methodology based on ion exchange and biodegradation mechanisms applied for metal complex dye removal from waste waters

Abstract

This study investigates the synergistic effects of ion exchange and biodegradation methods to remove the Acid Blue 193 also called Gryfalan Navy Blue RL (GNB) dye from wastewater. Ion exchange studies were performed using a strongly basic anion exchange resin Amberlite IRA 400. The equilibrium was characterized by a kinetic and thermodynamic points of view, establishing that the sorption of the GNB dye was subject to the Freundlich isotherm model with R2 = 0.8710. Experimental results showed that the activated resin can removed up to 93.4% when the concentration of dye solution is 5.62•10-2 mM. The biodegradation of the GNB was induced by laccase, an enzyme isolated from white-rot fungus. It was also analyzed the role of pH and dye concentration on GNB biodegradation, so 5•10-2 mM dye had a maximum discoloration efficiency of 82.9% at pH of 4. The laccase showed a very fast and robust activity reaching in a few minutes a Km value of 2.2•10-1mM. In addition, increasing the GNB concentration up to 8•10-1 mM did not triggered a substrat inhibition effect on the laccase activity. Overall, in this study we proposed a mixt physicochemical and biological approach to enhance the GNB removal and biodegradability from the wastewaters and subsequently the environment.