Applicability of Plants in Detoxification of Dyes

Abstract

Dyes are highly coloured compounds being extensively used by different types of industries for dyeing various materials. They are highly useful in dyeing clothes, papers, fibres, leathers, food materials, boards, woods, etc. There are various types of dyes, but broadly, they may be divided into natural and synthetic dyes, out of which most of the dyes are synthetic, derived from petrochemicals. These dyes or by-products released into the aqueous environment are highly toxic to the living beings in that environment as well as to human beings. Dyes act as big pollutants as they are released in wastewater and cause significant harms to biological systems. Most of the synthetic dyes are carcinogenic, while many of them are also not easily degradable. Pollutions caused by synthetic dyes are a matter of serious concern in the modern time due to their indiscriminate use. Poor safety measurements as well as poor pollution control techniques are also responsible for this. In the present time, several researches are going on the development of techniques and methodologies for the treatment of various toxic dyes and dye accumulations, out of which biological research attracts significant attention due to its green methodologies. Detoxification of dyes using microbes, enzymes, plants or any biological sources by applying green techniques are generally known as bioremediation of dyes. Plants, individually or as in combination with microbes, may play a good role in the detoxification of dyes. This chapter nicely deals with the significances of plants in bioremediation of synthetic dyes either individually or in combination with other biological resources.