Isolation and Screening of Dye Degrading Lignocellulolytic Bacteria from Sundarban Mangrove Ecosystem, West Bengal, India

The present research work was carried out on isolating lignocellulolytic enzyme-producing natural bacterial isolates of the Sundarban Mangrove ecosystem in West Bengal, India. Multiple bacterial isolations and qualitative as well as quantitative screening of the isolates was conducted by selective media plates and dye decolorization assay. Growth characterization of the top three isolates, namely GD1, GD2, and GD3, was determined in both nutrient broth and selective media. GD1 showed laccase activity in ABTS plate and decolorized congo red, malachite green, and methylene blue by 64.82%, 47.69%, and 33.33%, respectively, which is the inherent property of laccase. Along with the maximum laccase activity (9.72U/L), it also showed a little amount of cellulase (5.8U/ml) and pectinase (0.55U/ ml) activity in the enzyme assay. GD2 showed maximum cellulase activity (6.56U/ml) with only 3.3% degradation of congo red and 39.43% degradation of malachite green. Like GD1, GD2 also bears 5.6U/L laccase and 0.12U/ml pectinase enzyme activity. The last isolate, GD3 specialized in pectinase production and having 4.4U/ml enzyme activity, degraded congo red by 66.75% and malachite green by 54.26%. All isolates showed activity between 30 degrees and 37 degrees C, and pH ranges from 4.5 to 7. The outcomes of this research will be useful in the fiber industry like jute or banana, dye industry, pulp-paper industry, and textile industry for waste remediation, recycling, and fiber modification.