Mycoremediation of synthetic dyes by yeast cells: a sustainable biodegradation approach

Dye effluents released from various industries, notably the textile sector, are hazardous, and can cause significant damage to the environment. Thus, treatment and detoxification of these toxic dyes are of major concern for compliance with environmental legislations. So far, a number of physicochemical dye-removal methods have been proposed. However, despite their effectiveness in dye decolorization, by-products of chemical degradation methods may be more toxic than their parent dye molecules. The cost of these processes is also very high, thereby limiting their large-scale application. The use of yeast cells for the removal of toxic dyes is a comparatively effective, eco-friendly and cost-effective method. In this review, we describe the adverse effects of synthetic dyes on living organisms and enzymatic biodegradation mechanisms involved in mycoremediation processes of synthetic dyes. In addition, the influence of various physico-chemical factors on the decolorization performance of yeast cells, the analytical techniques used to identify the intermediates of dye biodegradation, the assessment of their toxicity and the molecular aspects of their biodegradation are also highlighted. This study may provide a basis for the development of dye bio-removal methods using yeast cells.