Dye Decolorization by Rhodococcus ruber Strain TES III Isolated from Textile Effluent Wastewater Contaminated Soil

Textile industries monopolize the use of synthetic and natural colors, claiming they are safe for the environment. These dyes have disastrous repercussions when released into the terrestrial and aquatic environment. The main purpose of the study was to isolate a biosurfactant-producing bacterium from textile effluent-contaminated soil and study its potential for dye degradation. Biosurfactant was extracted from Rhodococcus ruber strain TES III, a bacterium isolated from textile water contaminated soil. This biosurfactant-producing bacterium was capable of decolorizing both synthetic dyes like methyl orange, methylene blue, and natural dyes like Indigo. There was a 2-fold increase in methyl orange degradation after 48 hours, a 1-fold increase in methylene blue degradation, and a 4.13-fold increase in indigo dye degradation. Based on the foregoing data, we conclude that the biosurfactant-producing bacteria Rhodococcus ruber strain TES III has a high potential for dye degradation and hence can be used in wastewater treatment of textile industries.