BACILLUS PUMILUS MF472596: A SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION FOR CHROMIUM BIOREMEDIATION THROUGH PH SPECIFICITY

Abstract

One bacterial isolate Bacillus pumilus out of hundred and twenty-eight screened for tolerance against Pb, Cd, Ba, Cr, Fe, Cu, and F was found to be resistant against all. Hence it was selected up for detail study. Only Bacillus sp. could stand up against Cr and upto 700 ppm removing nearly 86% of Cr at neutral pH. Chemical analysis was carried out by AAS for rest of the metal ions. Altering the pH to alkaline range the bioremediation efficiency increased to 96%. The metal absorption efficiency increases on altering pH (pH 7 to 8) i.e. from 130 ppm to 210 ppm.  Subjecting to a change in pH the metal adsorbed on to the cell surface remains nearly same. The isolate was molecularly identified in our earlier paper and had received an accession no. MF472596. This investigation justifies pH specificity in enhancing bioremediation activity of Bacillus sp. towards the metal ion