Production of a Bioflocculant by Penicillium Sp. HHE-P7 Using Sugarcane Molasses

Abstract

Bioflocculant MBF7 was produced by a novel bioflocculant-producing microorganism HHE-P7. In order to reduce the bioflocculant producing cost, culture experiments were conducted. The effects of medium components including carbon and nitrogen sources as well as culture conditions such as pH of molasses diluents, cultivating temperature, inoculum size were investigated. The results showed when the molasses waste was diluted at COD concentration of 2000 mg/L, the optimal culture conditions for MBF7 production by HHE-P7 were inoculum size 1% (v/v), initial pH 5, cultivating temperature 25°C at the rotation speed 150 r/min. Under such conditions, MBF7 had a flocculating activity of 83% for 5 g/L kaolin clay suspension. About 3.19 g crude bioflocculant could be recovered from 1.0 L of molasses fermentation broth.