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ACTA Pharmaceutica Sciencia
2026 , Vol 64 , Num 3
Screening and cytotoxicological assessment of sulfur-spring Bacillus isolates for the bioremediation of methyl red and other azo dyes
1 Chemistry of Natural and Microbial Products Department, Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries Research Institute, National Research Centre, Dokki, EgyptDOI : 10.23893/1307-2080.APS64024 Viewed : 338 - Downloaded : 223 Azo dyes are persistent industrial colorants that contribute significantly to wastewater pollution, and biological remediation offers a chemical-free, cost- effective detoxification strategy. In this study, bacterial strains isolated from a sulfur spring were screened for methyl red decolorization, dye tolerance, activity against other dyes, and cytotoxicity of metabolites. Two strains, identified as Bacillus spizizenii and Bacillus subtilis via MALDITOF MS and 16S rRNA gene sequencing, achieved over 95% decolorization at 50 ppm, 90% at 250 ppm, and 60% at 1250 ppm. B. spizizenii further degraded trypan blue (55%) and methyl orange (42%), while B. subtilis showed limited activity. Cytotoxicity assays revealed higher IC50 values for metabolites from both strains compared to untreated dye, indicating reduced toxicity, with B. spizizenii producing the least harmful byproducts (IC50= 1236.45 µg/ml). These findings highlight Bacillus isolates, particularly B. spizizenii, as versatile candidates for sustainable eco-friendly bioremediation of azo dye-contaminated textile effluents, generating less hazardous byproducts. Keywords : azo dye, bioremediation, methyl red, pollution, sustainability