Biodegradation of solid wastes of agar seaweed processing industry by indigenous cellulolytic bacillus pumilus LA4P

Abstract

Indonesia is known as second seaweed producer in the world after China. Gracilaria sp seaweed is important commodity in industry, as raw material to produce agar and it derivate products. Solid wastes of agar seaweed processing industry contain considerable amounts of cellulose. It can effectively be utilized either as a major source of energy feedstock or as a r aw material for production of high value product. Here, hundreds of cellulolytic bacteria were screened and isolated from solid wastes of agar seaweed processing industry. Among the isolates, LA4P strains showing higher potential for practical uses were purified on solid wastes of agar seaweed processing Industry; (SWA) agar plates and identified as Bacillus pumilus strains by morphological, physiological, and biochemical characterization and 16S rRNA gene analysis. The production patterns of cellulose degrading enzymes were investigated during cell culture. The isolated strains produced CMCase, Avicelase, glucosidase, and cellobiase enzymes, which suggested synergic cellulolytic systems in Bacillus pumilus LA4P.