Microbial Degradation of Textile Dyes for Environmental Safety

Degradation of Dyes by Yeast ....................................... 275 10.3 Future Trends ............................................................................................. 276 10.4 Conclusions .................................................................................................277 References .............................................................................................................277

A dye is a coloured substance that has an affinity to the substrate to which it is being applied. Most dye molecules contain a number of aromatic rings, such as those of benzene or naphthalene, linked in a fully conjugated system (Figure 10.1). The unsaturated groups that can be conjugated to make the molecule coloured are referred to as chromophores. Synthetic dyes can be classified in a number of ways, including colour, intended use, trade name, chemical constitution and basis of application (Table 10.1).