Biodegradation of reactive dye (Verofix Red) by the white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium using Box-Behnken experimental design

Biodegradation of reactive dye using the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chr ysosporium was demonstrated by the disappearance of the colour of reactive dye. An increase in dye concentration showed decreased dye degradation, and maximum dye degradation and increased biomass was observed in medium amend ed with limited source of nitrogen. Increasing days showed increased biomas s production as well as dye degradation. Box-Behnken design with three vari ables like dye concentration (200, 700 and 1200 mg/l), days (2, 6 and 10) a nd nitrogen concentration at three different levels (0.054, 0.081 and 0.108 g/l) were studied to identify a significant correlation between the effect of these variables on the amount of biodegradation of reactive dye. The me thodology identifies the principal experimental variables, which have the g reatest effect in the biodegradation process. The experimental values are i n good agreement with predicted values, the correlation coefficient being 0 .9988.