Suheyla Altunkopru
Abstract:
In this study, I isolated bacteria capable of degrading the toxic industrial dye Malachite Green to explore an eco-friendly solution for wastewater treatment. Like many synthetic dyes, Malachite Green is harmful due to its chemical stability and toxicity to aquatic life, contributing to long-term environmental pollution. The purpose of my work was to isolate bacteria from Texas fire ant nest soils that could degrade Malachite Green, providing a sustainable approach to reduce this pollution. I collected soil samples and incubated them with Luria broth to isolate bacterial strains. After heat-treating the samples to eliminate non-spore-forming bacteria, I plated the remaining bacteria on LB agar and tested their ability to degrade Malachite Green by measuring colony size and degraded areas. The bacteria were then identified and sequenced. Acinetobacter baumannii, Pantoea dispersa, and Enterobacter xiangfangensis demonstrated resistance to Malachite Green from the strains I isolated. Acinetobacter baumannii was the most effective, followed by Enterobacter xiangfangensis and Pantoea dispersa. These strains produced the laccase enzyme, which plays a key role in dye degradation. In conclusion, the bacteria I identified show potential for bioremediation of Malachite Green. Future research will
focus on understanding the mechanisms behind their dye-degrading capabilities to optimize bioremediation efforts.