Isolation and Identification of Sulfate Reducing Bacteria from Palm Oil Mill Effluent

Abstract

Sulphate Reducing Bacteria are group of bacteria that can reduce sulphate using it as source of electron donor. The isolation of SRB although difficult, but is critically important due to their versatility for treatment of contaminants such as degradation of organic compounds and energy production. SRB were isolated from Palm Oil Mill Sludge using Rolling tube technique. The isolates were screen for desulfurization using postgate medium. The isolation bored four colonies designated as B1, B2, B3 and W1. Strain B1 was chosen as the best sulphate reducer due to its prominent ability to reduce sulphate in comparison with other strains isolated. Bacterium B1 was further identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing method and the results showed that bacterium B1 was closely related (96% similarity) to Clostridium botulinum. The presence of SRB was detected using SRB-Bart kit and the bacterium were morphologically characterised as black, rod shape and gram positive bacteria. The bacterium was demonstrated to have 60% ability for sulphate reduction in raw POME.