Team:Saint Joseph/Design
The Problem
Water is one of the most important natural sources. But the clean water source amount decreases day by day. The impact of textiles is considered to be the most polluting element in the textile industry. It affects the environment in developing countries. The wastewater becomes the main source of pollution of the environment. It pollutes the surface and subsurface water, soil and air.
Generally, surface water is used for dyeing, printing, sizing, bleaching and washing, this water mixes with the water in rivers and thereby increases pollution. The water effluented to the sewage system without decolorization is damaging our world. So the wastewater needs to be decolorized before going to the sewage system. This is why we chose laccase.
The Solution
We decided that decreasing the budget spent on the chemical ways to decolorize the wastewater must be really useful for fabric owners etc. So using a biological way would help this aim. We chose laccase as our enzyme which decolorizes wastewater and makes it reusable. Using 3 laccase forms helped us to see which one works better. For each one, we tested if it decolorizes the wastewater.
Background
Normally this kind of fungi is also produced in Trametes versicolor and decolorizes the colourants. Since it is not alone, we designed two different forms of it and added a number of genetic sequences. By using bacteria instead of fungi we have increased the activity of this enzyme and produced and purified the bacteria without the need of fungis, we used it to decolorize the colourants.
To use an enzyme in dye removal and industry that exists in nature we have improved the production conditions and activity. Room temperature in dry form is sufficient, you do not need anything extra to skim and work. In fact, this is an improved biotechnological product.