Isolation of chitinolytic bacteria and optimization of chitin fermentation process for glucosamine production using RSM method

Abstract

Chitinolytic bacteria originating from shrimp shells can be used for the production of glucosamine by fermentation. The aim of this research was to isolate and identify chitinolytic bacteria from shrimp shells that were spoiled in a closed container and to optimize chitin fermentation using the strongest chitinolytic bacteria. Bacteria isolation was done on shrimp shells that were rotten in a closed container and then identify the strongest chitinolytic bacteria using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method. The strongest chitinolytic bacteria isolate was optimized for its glucosamine production using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) method with pH and fermentation period. Results show that fermented chitin has moisture content of 6.69%, ash content of 1.42% and deacetylation degree of 35.16%. The strongest chitinolytic bacteria isolate has a clear zone diameter of 8.26±0.13 mm and identified as Bacterium 4H106 which was rod-shaped, Gram-positive bacteria using 16S molecular identification. Chitin fermentation process that produced the optimum glucosamine was at pH of 6.2 and fermentation period of 10.1 days, i.e. produce N-acetyl-glucosamine concentration of 239,429.96 ppm. Bacterium isolate 4H106 possessed a strong chitinolytic activity and had an optimum pH of 6.2 in degrading chitin into glucosamine through fermentation.