Potential Degradation of Harmful Synthetic Dyes Using Isolated and Purified Laccases Extracted from Trigonella Foenum Graceum
The increasing use of synthetic dyes in the textile, paper, and plastic industries has led to severe environmental pollution owing to their toxic, carcinogenic, and non-biodegradable nature. Conventional physicochemical treatment methods often fall short because of high cost and secondary pollution. Sustainable alternative enzymatic degradation is a promising strategy for dye removal. Laccases are multicopper oxidases capable of oxidizing a wide range of phenolic and nonphenolic compounds in dyes. In this study, laccase was isolated and purified from Trigonella foenum-graceum (fenugreek seeds). The extracted enzyme was characterized in terms of optimum pH-7, temperature of 350C, and time of 30 minutes. Enzymatic degradation assays were conducted using synthetic dyes such as thiazine, azo, phthalein, sulfonphthalein and triarylmethane dyes. The results demonstrated a significant decolourization efficiency with degradation rates exceeding 50%. Spectrophotometric analysis confirmed the breakdown of the complex dye molecules into less toxic intermediates. These findings highlight the potential of plant-derived laccases as eco-friendly biocatalysts in wastewater treatment and industrial dye degradation.