USE OF A NATURAL DYE FROM SERRATIA MARCESCENS SUBSPECIES MARCESCENS IN DYEING OF TEXTILE FABRICS

A strain of Serratia marcescens subspecies marcescens capable of producing a novel rose red pigment with a mass of 112 Da has been isolated from Mahim Mangroove soil. Studies regarding the growth conditions of bacteria, partial characterization of the produced pigment and use of this rose red pigment to dye natural fabrics has been studied and described. Dyeing of wool, cotton and silk fabrics with this rose red microbial pigment as natural dye indicated that the colour strength values and the dye uptake were high with satisfactory fastness properties of the dyed fabric.