Bioremediation of azo dyes using biogenic iron nanoparticles

Abstract

From the beginning of human civilization natural matter was used to stain hides, decorate feathers and shells and paint stories on the walls of ancient caves to over 15,000 B.C. with black, white, yellow and reddish pigments made from ochre. After the Neolithic revolution the permanent settlement of man began resulting in new discoveries and inventions around 7,000-2,000 B.C. like production of textiles by adding various colorants to them.1 These natural organic colorants had timeless history of application, especially as textile dyes. The pioneer in discovery of synthetic dye was William Henry Perkin; a student at the Royal College of Chemistry who while making drug quinine from aniline produced thick dark sludge which he diluted with alcohol. This produced purple color ‘fast’ dye, resistant to washing and to the fading effects of light and was used to dye silk.