Wool and Silk Fabrics Dyeing by Mannitol-assisted Pigment Produced from Penicillium purpurogenum

Penicillium purpurogenum, order Eurotiales was a superior producer to red, orange and yellow colorants. The fungus was grown in Dox media, it was found that Mannitol (30 g/l) and peptone (4 g/l) doubled the fungal productivity more than fourteen folds. The optimum conditions forpigment production was found to be at faint alkaline media (pH 8) at ambient temperature (30oC), at which a sharp increase of pigment yield was attained (263.63 g/l). During fermentation, the fungus was subjected to physical stress; Viz. high and low temperatures, magnetic field, and different wave lengths of light. The microorganism maintained its activity at the aforementioned physical effects.