dekolorisaation

Dekolororisaation, also spelled decolorization in English, denotes the removal of color from a substance, pigment, dye, or tissue. It occurs through chemical, physical, photochemical, or enzymatic processes and is widely used across science and industry to render colored materials colorless or to reveal underlying structures.

Common methods include chemical bleaching with oxidants (chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite), reduction with reducing agents, and catalytic or photo-oxidative processes; physical methods include adsorption (activated carbon) and filtration; enzymatic decolorization uses oxidoreductases such as peroxidases and laccases.

In biology and medicine, decolorization is a procedural step in staining protocols. For example, in Gram staining of bacteria, an alcohol-based decolorizer differentiates cells by cell wall properties, allowing positive and negative cells to be distinguished.

In industry and environment, decolorization treats colored effluents from textile dyes, sugar syrups, and edible oils. Techniques include ozonation, advanced oxidation processes, Fenton chemistry, photocatalysis, electrocoagulation, and adsorption.

Evaluation of decolorization typically relies on spectrophotometric measurements or colorimetric indices to quantify remaining color, aiding assessment of efficiency and environmental compliance.