ISSN 2329-9835
International Journal of Diseases and Disorders ISSN 2329-9835 Vol. 6 (3), pp. 001-008, March, 2018. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Studies on bioflocculant production by Methylobacterium sp. Obi isolated from a freshwater environment in South Africa
Luvuyo Ntsaluba, Mayowa Agunbiade, Leonard Mabinya* and Anthony Okoh
Applied and Environmental Microbiology Research Group (AEMREG), Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa.
Accepted 15 June, 2017
Abstract
A bioflocculant-producing bacterium isolated from river water was identified as Methylobacterium sp. Obi by 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (rRNA) gene sequencing. The nucleotide sequence was deposited in the Genbank with accession number HQ537130. The bioflocculant secreted by the isolate showed a peak flocculating activity of 72% in 1 g/L kaolin suspension supplemented with CaCl2. The bioflocculant yield was maximal when glucose and peptone were used as carbon and nitrogen sources respectively, at an optimum pH of 7. Calcium was the most effective cation in stimulating bioflocculating activity. Chemical analyses of the purified bioflocculant revealed it to be a polysaccharide.
Key words: Freshwater, Methylobacterium sp. Obi, bioflocculant, flocculating activity, polysaccharides.