Alkaline Mycoremediation: Penicillium rubens and Aspergillus fumigatus Efficiently Decolorize and Detoxify Key Textile Dye Classes

Industrial synthetic dyes are among the most common and hazardous pollutants in manufacturing wastewater. In this study, effective dye-decolorizing fungi were isolated from industrial discharge and evaluated for their decolorization efficiency for various dyes, including a triphenylmethane (malachite green, MG), an anthraquinone (reactive blue 19, RB19), and an azo dye (reactive black 5, RB5). The fungus with the highest potential for MG decolorization was identified as Penicillium rubens, whereas Aspergillus fumigatus proved to be the most effective for RB19 and RB5 decolorization. Maximum decolorization for all dyes occurred at pH 9 and 30 °C after 6–7 days of shaking in the dark. Enzyme activity assays revealed that both P. rubens and A. fumigatus produced multiple oxidative and reductive enzymes, including laccase, azoreductase, anthraquinone reductase, triphenylmethane reductase, lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase, and tyrosinase. The decolorized filtrates of MG, RB19, and RB5 exhibited very low phytotoxicity for RB5 and no phytotoxicity for MG and RB19. Furthermore, these filtrates demonstrated significant reductions in chemical oxygen demand (46%, 63%, and 50%) and biological oxygen demand (37%, 60%, and 40%) for MG, RB19, and RB5, respectively, compared to untreated dyes. Given their efficient biological removal of dyes under alkaline conditions, these fungal isolates are promising candidates for sustainable wastewater treatment.