Physico - Chemical and Rheological Properties of a Bioflocculant BF - 56 from Bacillus sp. A56

Bacillus sp. A56 was studied, because of its high flocculating activity. The flocculating substance produced by this strain was purified by ethanol precipitation, cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) precipitation, and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The FT-IR spectrum of the purified bioflocculant, designated as BF-56, showed typical characteristics of polysaccharides. The non-sugar substituents, and sugar components of BF-56 containing glucose, fucose, glucuronic acid, and galactose in an approximate molar ratio of 2.76:1.10:1:0.12, suggested that it was a novel bioflocculant with an estimated molecular mass of over $7{\times}10^3$ kDa. Rheological analysis of BF-56 revealed that it was a pseudoplastic that had higher apparent viscosity rate at dilute concentrations than those of zooglan. The solution of bioflocculant BF-56 exhibited non-Newtonian characteristics and it was compatible to high concentrations of salts such as KCl, NaCl, $CaCl_2,\;or\;FeCl_3.$ The present results suggested strong possibility of bioflocculant BF-56 to be fully applicable to industries such as wastewater treatment.