The textile industry plays a crucial role in global economies by providing employment and contributing significantly to GDP, but it also generates hazardous dye effluents that threaten water quality and human health.

Among the major pollutants are azo dyes, which are widely used in textiles and pose serious environmental risks due to their toxicity, persistence, and potential health issues such as skin diseases and cancer.

Conventional methods for dye removal are often ineffective and costly, highlighting the urgent need for eco-friendly bioremediation strategies that utilize microorganisms.

This study specifically focuses on the characterization and optimization of bacterial strains capable of degrading azo dyes, addressing the pressing issue of environmental pollution from textile wastewater.

Researchers isolated four bacterial strains—Sphingomonas mali, Pseudomonas leuteola, Shewanella putrefaciens, and Priestia flexa—that demonstrated significant potential for decolorizing azo dyes such as Methyl Red, Direct Yellow 12, and Acid Black 210.

Among these, Priestia flexa showed the highest decolorization rates, exceeding 70% for all tested dyes, with optimal conditions identified at pH levels of 7-9 and temperatures between 30°C and 40°C.

The study found that various environmental factors, including pH, temperature, and dye concentration, significantly influenced the decolorization efficiency of the bacterial strains.

To determine the best conditions for dye degradation, the study employed optimization techniques such as single-factor optimization and Response Surface Methodology (RSM).

Advanced analytical techniques like Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) were utilized to analyze the degradation products, offering insights into the breakdown of azo bonds in the dyes.

Genomic analysis and 16S rRNA sequencing were conducted to confirm the identity and phylogenetic relationships of the bacterial isolates, further supporting their application in bioremediation.