Team:UCL/Project/About
From 2014.igem.org
In the textile industry alone, the annual production of dyestuff amounts to millions of tons globally with azo dyes representing two thirds of this value. In many countries, the leftover dye effluent produced by industrial manufacturers is often not properly disposed of, or removed, during water treatment. This results in the accumulation of azo dyes in water bodies where they are then ingested by aquatic organisms. The products of this enzymatic breakdown have been found to be both mutagenic and carcinogenic and have been linked to increased occurances of several different forms of cancer if they enter the food chain. Despite this toxicity and it's potential effect on human health, little to no effort has been made to dispose of these leftover azo dyes more responsibly.