EN
The present study focused on laccase production, characterization, and its involvement in chlorophyll decolorization. Extracellularlaccase, with the highest activity of 11 U/ml on day 8, was efficiently produced from Trametes hirsuta in 5 l bioreactor with optimized media comprising dual carbon sources, glucose and water hyacinth. A laccase was then purified from the supernatant to homogeneity with purification fold of 9.51 and recovery of 39.8% and an estimated molecular mass of 62 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The laccase showed activity at pH 2–6 and temperature 30–80°C and was relatively thermally stable at below 70°C and neutral pH. The laccase was applied to decolorize chlorophyll under different factors: temperature, pH, mediator, metal ions, and enzyme dosage. Other fungal laccases were also found to be able to degrade chlorophyll with rating from 52% to 88% following 1 h treatment with two laccase dosages (5 or 10 U/ml) in the absence of any other mediators at room temperature. These findings may be an important step in developing new, important, and commercially viable industrial applications for laccase enzymes.