Production of Bioplastic by Local Strains of Bacillus subtilis using Watermelon Peels as Substrate

The amount of environmental contamination brought on by the careless disposal plastic garbage has increased to 400 million tons every year a global scale. These synthetically generated traditional polymers are not easily biodegradable. This work was therefore undertaken isolate Bacillus subtilis from soil with potential produce bioplastic: Poly-ß-hydroxybutyrate (PHB). Samples were collected various locations (BG = Botanical Garden, FARD Fine Art Refuse Dumpsite, SHRD Suleiman Hall FVM Faculty Veterinary Medicine animal paddock) within Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. Spread plate technique used B. nutrient agar, and isolates' cultural, morphological, biochemical properties identified. isolates screened for PHB production using two different methods: assay method slide Sudan black B dye. then produced submerged fermentation watermelon peel as sole source carbon in medium. extracted Sodium-hypochlorite quality determined FT-IR analysis. Four obtained samples (50 %), one each out %) per unit location (BG2, FARD3, SHRD2, FVM4). screening revealed that all producers. SHRD2 students’ dormitory found highest yield 0.98 g/L substrate, whereas paddock (FVM4) yielded lowest quantity (0.12 g /L). biopolymer's (bioplastic) identity confirmed be based peaks spectra, which displayed wave numbers variety functional groups, including -O-H, C-H, C-O, C=O. It concluded local have potentials peels energy.