THE COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE INVITRO PRODUCTION OF AMYLASE BY SPECIES OF BACILLUS AND PSEUDOMONAS(BACILLUS SUBTILIS AND PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA) DURING THE BIODEGRADATION OF PALM OIL MILL EFFLUENT.
ABSTRACT
Comparative study of biodegradation of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) by Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was studied for 16 days. Starch hydrolysis test was conducted on Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa to detect starch degradation and amylase potentiality. Clear zone of hydrolysis was observed which indicates the ability of both organisms to degrade the complex carbon ‘Starch’. The biodegradative activity of both organisms was determined using the Mineral Salt Medium inoculated with 1% POME. The turbidity of the inoculated sample increased from day 0 to day 16.the least being on the 4 th day and the highest turbidity was recorded on the 16 th day for each of the organisms. The least amylase activity was recorded on the 4th day of the
biodegradation process by Pseudomonas aeruginosaas 19.50±0.50U/ml while highest amylase activity was recorded on the 16th day by Bacillus subtilis as 61.50 ±0.50U/ml. total viable count of bacterial isolates revealed that the highest Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa counts occurred on the 8th day as 2.01×1010±1.00 cfu/ml and 2.75×1010±1.50 cfu/ml respectively. The enzyme ‘Amylase’ produced by both organisms has the capability to breakdown molecules that are complex in nature and may be used for other purposes such food production and environmental protection and conservation. This study suggests that Bacillus subtilis grows and metabolize compounds in palm oil mill effluent to produce amylase better than Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of Study
Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) is a monoecious plant that bears both male and female flowers on the same tree. It belongs to the palmae family and is the most productive oil producing plant in the world (Panapaanet al., 2009). Palm trees may grow up to 60 feet or more in height. The trunks of young and adult plants are wrappedin fronds which give them a rough appearance. The older tree have smoother trunks apart from the marks left by the fronds which have withered and fallen off (Panapannan et al.,2009).
