Hydroxybenzotriazole increases the range of textile dyes decolorized by immobilized laccase

Laccase from Coriolopsis gallica UAMH8260 was immobilized on activated agarose and tested for repeated decolorization of industrial dyes. Immobilized enzyme retained 85% of the initial activity after 10 cycles, and 70% after 3 months of intermittant use in the decolorization of Reactive Blue 198 dye. Free laccase decolorized 13 of 38 industrial dyes tested but, in the presence of 1 mM 1-hydroxybenzotriazole as a free radical mediator, the enzyme decolorized 26 of the 38 dyes increasing both the range and rate of decolorization. Immobilized laccase showed a higher thermal stability at 70 °C than free enzyme but no increased resistance to organic solvents.