Paper Title
EXPLORING THE DECOLORIZATION EFFICIENCY OF ROSE BENGAL DYE BY FUNGAL ISOLATES FROM NOYAL RIVER, TIRUPPUR, INDIA.

Abstract
The release of synthetic dyes into aquatic ecosystems poses significant environmental issues due to their toxic and persistent properties. This study investigates the decolorization of Rose Bengal dye by a fungal isolate sourced from water, which demonstrated significant dye-decolorization capabilities under optimized conditions. The preliminary screening results suggested that NRS2, classified as Penicillium sp., exhibited the most effective decolorization of rose Bengal dye within 8 days. The analysis and optimization of the decolorization process utilized response surface methodology (RSM) with a central composite design (CCD) including five components. The decolorization efficacy of Rose Bengal dye was assessed at different pH levels, temperatures, dye concentrations, glucose concentrations, and durations. The results indicated that optimal conditions were attained at a pH of 5.3, a temperature of 32 °C, a dye concentration of 94.7, and a glucose concentration of 0.9 mg/l, with an incubation duration of 112 hours resulting in 99.1% dye decolorization. The findings indicate that Penicillium sp. can be efficiently employed for the bioremediation of dye-contaminated wastewater. The decolorization% was verified by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, which demonstrated the entire absence of peaks, indicating the breakdown of dyes attributed to fungal activity. The phytotoxicity test ultimately demonstrated that the toxicity of dyes post-treatment with NRS2 was markedly reduced compared to pre-treatment levels. Keywords - Decolorization, Rose Bengal Dye, Penicillium sp., RSM, CCD