Abstract:Triphenylmethane dyes are widely used in textile dyeing, medicine, biological staining, paper, leather, food and cosmetic industries. Their special stable chemical structures make them difficult to be degradated and decolorized. The biodecolorization research of triphenylmethane dyes will provide the fundamental knowledge for the treatment of dye-containing wastewater and bioremediation of dye-contaminated environment. In this paper, the recent research progress in biodegradation and decolorization of triphenylmethane dyes by microorganisms, such as bacteria, actinomycetes, fungi and alga, as well as the functioning enzymes and their coding genes, were reviewed. The decolorization mechanisms and degradation pathways of triphenylmethane dyes were discussed based on the decolorizing intermediate products of different microbes. The development and application of triphenylmethane dyes biodecolorization and biodegradation were also prospected.