PRODUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BIOFLOCCULANT PRODUCING BACTERIA

ABSTRACT

Organic and inorganic contaminants are a major source of water contamination in society.

Industries and the rise of urban areas has increased the levels of water contamination and shortage. Agricultural byproducts and harmful residential, industries and commercial effluents are the main causes of water pollution. These pollutants can been eliminated using a variety of physio chemical treatment technique.Bioflocculants are an alternative to chemical flocculant due to their comparable efficiencies. They are biodegradeable, ecofriendly and safe to use. Amongst the ways to produce bioflocculant, bacteria is the most common because of its availability and ability to produce bioflocculant  with different specialities.  This study is to produce and characterize these bacteria producing bioflocculant. As a result the water samples in Ogbariver in Oredo local government, Edo State, were collected and tested for bacteria with significant bioflocculant generating potentials. The standard microbiological methods were used for analysis. Pour plate method was used and the mean heterotrophic counts for samples 1,2 and 3 were 13.60 x10²cfu/ml, 12.50 x10² cfu/ml and 13.40 x10²cfu/ml. Gram staining and biochemical assay (citrate test, motility test, oxidase test, catalase test, indole test and sugar fermentation test) were used to identify 10 isolated bioflocculant producing bacteria.The flocculating activity of the isolates were also tested using the spectrophotometer which utilizes optical density. The results of the isolates with the highest flocculating activity were SV2 56% and SV4 77.4%

Bacillus spp, Lactobacillus spp and Listeria spp were identified as the isolates most likely identifiable.The development of bioflocculants is representing important progress in sustainable environmental technology.