Production and characterization of exopolysacharides (EPS) from the bacteria isolated from Pharma lab sinks

Exopolysacharides (EPS) are polymeric substances of microorganisms of high molecular weight and long chain composed of sugar residues secreted by them into the surrounding environment. Bacterial EPS are also complex mixture of macro molecular poly electrolytes including polysaccharides, proteins and nucleic acids, each comprising of variable molecular mass and structural properties. Three bacteria viz., Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were isolated from the Micro. Laboratory sinks of Pharmaceutical company. They were inoculated in EPS yeast mannitol glucose broth, as this medium promotes the production of exo-cellular polysaccharide. The pH of the medium was adjusted at 6.9+/0.2, later sterilized at 121degree for 15 min/15lbs. The dry weight of the fractionated products were found at 0.10g ± 0.02g/500ml, 0.41g ± 0.03g/500ml and 0.13g ± 0.05g/500ml of media produced from S. aureus, B. subtilis and P. aeruginosa in the YMGB broth respectively. During the study period, it was found that EPS extract was higher in Bacillus subtilis in comparison with other two. The physiochemical characterization of EPS was studied and the structure was confirmed by the FTIR and HPLC analysis for the B. subtilis only. From the Clinical Editor: In this study, bacteria isolated from adverse medical environment, particularly washing sink area, were subjected to EPS production and their (EPS) physiochemical characterization by FTIR and HPLC in order to get the structural confirmation.