Professional Dyeing Work Enriches Dye-decolorizing Bacteria in the Fingertip Microbiome

Individuals who regularly handle specific chemicals may harbor microorganisms capable of metabolizing those compounds. Such hands may therefore provide a practical route for obtaining functional microorganisms from easily accessible human-associated environments. In this study, we found that nearly 90% of professional dyers harbored dye-decolorizing bacteria, which were efficiently isolated from their fingertips, with 20% of isolates exhibiting decolorizing activity. These strains showed distinct genus-level profiles. These findings indicate that occupational exposure to dyes strongly enriches dye-decolorizing bacteria, suggesting that the hands of textile workers may serve as a source for isolating microorganisms with potential applications in dye bioremediation.