Isolation and Partial Characterization of Biopolymer (PHB) Produced by Marine Bacterium Actinobacterium SP Associated with a Marine Gastropod Purpura Bufo

Abstract

Twenty bacterial strains were isolated from the surface of a marine gastropod Purpura bufo and screened for biopolymer (PHB) production using Sudan black- B staining. Among the 20 bacterial strains, only three strains, which showed positive on PHB production were selected and named as GS4 GS10 and GS16. The PHB produced by the selected strains were individually quantified and their physico-chemical properties were characterized. The PHB was produced and they optimized for different medium, carbon nitrogen sources and changes of pH and temperature. The result revealed that a maximum production of PHB was found in the medium added with fructose (79.19%), potassium nitrate (85.93%), 20% NaCl (96.91), 30°C (98.17) and pH 6 (95.87). The biopolymers were TLC used to the compounds is identified (esters, alkyl bromide and aromatic).FTIR is the technique used to the functional groups is identified. The bacterium responsible for the production of biopolymer was identified as Actinobacterium sp through 16SrRNA gene sequencing. Further purification and characterization will lead to a novel natural based biopolymer from the marine bacterium to replace the chemically synthesized non-degradable polymers.