Waste-derived enzyme cleans up toxic dyes, boosts environmental sustainability
A fungus called Aspergillus sp. Omeje was found to produce a special enzyme called laccase that can break down harmful substances in the environment. The fungus was grown using waste from agriculture, and the laccase enzyme was purified and tested. The laccase enzyme was most active when groundnut husk was used as food, and it worked best at a pH of 7.5 and a temperature of 50°C. The enzyme was able to remove between 36% and 82% of different synthetic dyes, showing its potential for cleaning up pollution in industries and the environment.