Ugbenyen AM and Okoh AI. (2013) Flocculating Properties of a Bioflocculant Produced by Bacillus sp. Isolated from a Marine Environment in South Africa. Chemical and Biochemical Engineering- Quarterly. 27(4): 511-518.

Abstract:We assessed the biotloeeulant production by a bacteria isolated from a marine environment

in South Africa. The 16S rDNA nucleotide sequence analyses revealed the bacteria

to have a 99 % similarity to Bacillus sp. A-5A and the sequence was deposited in

theGenbank as Bacillus sp. MAYA (accession number JF799093). Biofloeculant production

by the bacteria was optimal when glucose (95.6 % tloceulatingaetivity) and ammonium

nitrate (83.3 % flocculating activity) were used as carbon and nitrogen sourees respectively;

inoculum size was 2 % (v/v); initial pH 6; and Ca^+ as coagulant aid.

Chemical analysis of the purified biofloceulant shows that it is composed of uronic acid,

neutral sugar and protein. FTIR analysis reveals the presence of methoxyl, bydroxyl,

earboxyl and amino-groups in the compound biofloeculant. The biotloeeulant is thermostable

with about 65.6 % residual tlocculating activity retained after heating the biofloeculant

at 100 °C for 25 minutes.

Key words: Biofloceulant, production, bacteria, glucose, inoculums, analysis