QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE BIODEGRADATION OF AZO DYES USING PLANT PEROXIDASES
Abstract
Azo dyes are the main class of synthetic dyes and are widely used in food, cosmetics, and textiles. Despite their industrial effectiveness, these compounds raise environmental concerns due to the release of toxic and potentially carcinogenic substances. A sustainable alternative to mitigate these impacts is enzymatic biodegradation, especially through peroxidase, which is capable of breaking the azo bond. In this study, we sought to identify peroxidase activity in different vegetables and evaluate their ability to degrade three azo dyes: methyl red, janus green B, and drimaren red CL-5B. To this end, a qualitative test was initially performed with guaiacol in gherkin, eggplant, arracacha, corn, zucchini, chayote, ginger, cabbage, cucumber, and scarlet eggplant, purchased in Serra Talhada, Pernambuco. As all vegetables showed the presence of peroxidase, they were subjected to biodegradation tests with dye solutions at 50 mg/L, tested with and without H₂O₂, over 48 hours. The results revealed significant degradation in the three dyes, demonstrating the efficiency of plant enzymes. All degraded methyl red, gherkin was most effective in Janus green B without H₂O₂, and corn stood out in red drimaren with H₂O₂. These results reinforce the potential of vegetables as effective natural biodegrading agents.
Author Biographies
Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry Education from the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), Academic Unit of Serra Talhada, Serra Talhada, Pernambuco, Brazil.
PhD in Sciences from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP). Associate Professor in the Chemistry Teacher Education Program at the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), Academic Unit of Serra Talhada, Serra Talhada, Pernambuco, Brazil.
PhD in Sciences from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP). Professor of Basic, Technical and Technological Education at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of the Sertão Pernambucano (IFSertãoPE), Salgueiro Campus.
Bachelor's Degree in Fisheries Engineering from the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), Academic Unit of Serra Talhada, Serra Talhada, Pernambuco, Brazil.
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