Microbial composition and a process useful for the neutralization of alkaline waste- waters

Abstract

The invention relates to a microbial composition for the neutralization of alkaline waste waters by biological means and a method of neutralization of alkaline waste waters using a synergistic mixture of the bacterial strains of Bacillus alkalophilus and Bacillus sp.

1 . An strain of  Bacillus alkalophilus  comprising the following characteristics: 
 grows at a pH range from 8.0 to 11.0 and does not grow at neutral pH; and    produces acid in the presence of carbohydrates; and    grows on blood sugar;    does not produce beta-galactosidase and xylanase; and    produces alkaline protease.    
     
     
         2 . The strain of  Bacillus alkalophilus  of  claim 1 , wherein the  Bacillus alkalophilus  produces acid from glucose, sucrose, glycerol, lactose, mannose, salicin and sorbitol.  
     
     
         3 . The strain of  Bacillus alkalophilus  of  claim 1 , wherein the strain is CBTCC/Micro/8 MTCC 5092.  
     
     
         4 . A strain of  Bacillus  sp. comprising the following characteristics: 
 grows at a pH range from 8.0 to 11.0 and does not grow at neutral pH;    produces acid in the presence of carbohydrates;    hydrolyses casein, gelatin and starch but unable to hydrolyze urea;    reduces nitrate; and    produces alkaline beta-amylase.    
     
     
         5 . The strain of  Bacillus  sp. of  claim 4 , wherein the  Bacillus  sp. produces acid from glucose, sucrose, glycerol, lactose, mannose, salicin and sorbitol.  
     
     
         6 . The strain of  Bacillus  sp. of  claim 4 , wherein the strain is CBTCC/Micro/9 MTCC 5093.  
     
     
         7 . A microbial composition, comprising a synergistic mixture of equal proportions of the strain of  Bacillus alkalophilus  of  claim 1  and the strain of  Bacillus  sp. comprising the following characteristics: 
 grows at a pH range from 8.0 to 11.0 and does not grow at neutral pH;    produces acid in the presence of carbohydrates;    hydrolyses casein, gelatin and starch but unable to hydrolyze urea;    reduces nitrate; and    produces alkaline beta-amylase,    capable of neutralizing alkaline waste-waters.    
     
     
         8 . The microbial composition of  claim 7 , wherein the strain of  Bacillus alkalophilus  is CBTCC/Micro/8 MTCC 5092 and the stain of  Bacillus  sp. is CBTCC/Micro/9 MTCC 5093.  
     
     
         9 . A method for neutralizing alkaline waste-waters using a microbial composition comprising a synergistic mixture of the following two bacterial strains present in equal proportion: 
 (a)  Bacillus alkalophilus      (b)  Bacillus  sp.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising: 
 (c) reconstituting lyophilized bacterial powder by adding distilled water;    (d) adding reconstituted bacterial strain solution in alkaline medium and alkaline waste-water containing phenol red indicator;    (e) observing acid production by the change in color of phenol red in modified Nutrient Broth medium and in the alkaline waste-waters from red to orange, orange to yellow; and    (f) measuring the decrease in pH of the said medium as well as of alkaline waste-waters for a period of two days.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein comprising the strain of  Bacillus alkalophilus  comprises the following characteristics: 
 grows at a pH range from 8.0 to 11.0 and does not grow at neutral pH; and    produces acid in the presence of carbohydrates; and    grows on blood sugar;    does not produce beta-galactosidase and xylanase; and    produces alkaline protease and the strain of  Bacillus  sp. comprises the following characteristics:    grows at a pH range from 8.0 to 11.0 and does not grow at neutral pH;    produces acid in the presence of carbohydrates;    hydrolyses casein, gelatin and starch but unable to hydrolyze urea;    reduces nitrate; and    produces alkaline beta-amylase.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the strain of  Bacillus alkalophilus  is CBTCC/Micro/8 MTCC 5092 and the stain of  Bacillus  sp. is CBTCC/Micro/9 MTCC 5093.