Hen Feather: A Remarkable Adsorbent for Dye Removal - Green Chemistry for Dyes Removal from Wastewater - page 416

to tuberculosis [46,47]. The dye is also reported to cause hypersensitivity
reactions in humans [48].
Tartrazine is also well known for its carcinogenicity and mutagenic
characteristics [49]. Chung [50] established that the use of Tartrazine
increases the chances of intestinal cancer, which is due to reduction of dyes
to aromatic amines by intestinal microflora. The carcinogenicity of the dye
has been reported in the publication of Stefanidou et al. [51], where it is
established that Tartrazine causes a significant increase in DNA contents
which stimulates the mitotic division of cells in the living system.
Sobotka and coworker [52] found that Tartrazine affects the postnatal
development of the central nervous system of female offspring of mice,
marked by depressed body weight, an apparent reduction in thymus weight
and a slight elevation of red blood cells and hemoglobin. The effects of a
Tartrazine diet on the growth and survival of rats have been studied by
Ershoff [53], and it was found that the dye causes noticeable retardation in
growth and death of 50% or more of the rats within an experimental period
of 14 days. Tartrazine also shows a significant increase in chromosomal
aberrations at higher concentrations [54].
11.2.2 Amaranth
Scheme 11.2 Chemical structure of Azo Dye-Amaranth.
Amaranth (Scheme 11.2) has the chemical name Trisodium 3-hydroxy-
4-(4-sulfonato-1-naphthylazo)-2,7-naphthalene disulfonate (Table 11.2).
It is a dark red to purple colored anionic azo dye. The presence of trisul-
phonic and a hydroxyl group provides it with exceptionally good water
solubility (50g/L). Amaranth is widely used as colorant in industries like
textiles, paper, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and leather, etc. This sulphonic
acid-based napthyl azo dye was also used as food additive in ice creams,
jams, canned fruit pie fillings, soups, jellies and ketchup until 1976, when
it was banned by the US Food and Drug Administration agency for use in
food and drugs [55].
Critical investigations on the toxicity of the dye Amaranth to living
systems establish that amongst humans the dye causes allergic and/or