Y. Doruk ARACAGÖK^,, Nilüfer CİHANGİR

Yarrowia lipolytica NBRC 1658 could decolorize Reactive Black 5 effectively through biodegradation. The optimum conditions such as initial pH, glucose concentration, nitrogen concentration and initial dye concentration were determined. Correlations between decolorization and laccase and manganese peroxidase activities were investigated. Neither laccase nor manganese peroxidase (MnP) activities were determined in culture mediums. Y. lipolytica could decolorize 97% percentage of 50mg l^-1 RB5 dye within 24 hours and could tolerate up to 300 mg l^-1 of dye. It was found that decolorization occurred during the exponential growth phase. Aerobic batch conditions with 5g l^-1 glucose and 1g l^-1 ammonium sulphate at pH 7 were considered to be the optimum decolorizing conditions.

biodegradation, decolorization, Azo dyes, Reactive Black 5, Yarrowia lipolytica