Common filamentous Trichoderma asperellum for effective removal of triphenylmethane dyes

Abstract

The dye-removal potential of a common environmental isolate Trichoderma asperellum on four triphenylmethane dyes was studied via biosorption experiments using free-cells and alginate-immobilized forms. T. asperellum demonstrated potential to remove TPM dyes, with higher efficiency when alginate-immobilized forms were used compared to free-cells. Amount of crystal violet (CV), methyl violet (MV), cotton blue (CB), and malachite green (MG) adsorbed by immobilized forms were 60.64, 50.29, 49.91, and 16.61 mg g⁻¹ compared to 12.97, 12.54, 14.34, and 11.44 mg g⁻¹ by free-cells, respectively. Enhanced dye removals by alginate-immobilized T. asperellum were attributed to the carboxyl and hydroxyl functional groups present on the surface of alginate. For free-cells, their surface comprises amine and alkane groups which were less effective in binding dyes. This study is the first to report the dye-removal potential of T. asperellum for triphenylmethane dyes, and we recommend immobilized forms as suitable for application.

Keywords:

• Alginate immobilization
• Biosorption
• Dye removal
• Trichoderma asperellum
• Triphenylmethane dyes

Acknowledgments

This project supports a main project funded by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) under the FRGS scheme (FRGS/2/2013/STWN01/MUSM/02/2). The authors are also grateful to Monash University Malaysia for the facilities to conduct the study.