What is Natural Dye

The textile sector is 14% of total industrial production in India and contributes to about 4% of the gross domestic product and earns about 27% of India's total foreign exchange. Worldwide, up to 10,000 dyes are available and their annual production is above 7×105 metric tons, which are being used not only in textile sector but also applied in paper, food, and pharmaceutical industries. Textile industries in India have been consuming more than 100 L of water to process 1 kg of textiles and have contributed heavily in polluting surface and ground water resources in many regions of the country. The toxic and carcinogenic effect of untreated textile effluent is well understood. The decolorization and detoxification of industrial dye effluents is the most important aspect and is a major concern to meet environmental regulations. This chapter presents a review of literature on the significance of bioremediation technologies over other physicochemical methods for efficient removal of textile dyes from industrial waste effluents to improve the fragile ecosystems in different regions of the world.