Isolation, Molecular Characterisation of Polyhydroxyalkanoate Producing Novel Bacillus sp., skm7T from a Polluted Pond Water.

Bio-plastics are natural biopolymers that are synthesized and catabolised by various organisms and these materials do not cause toxic effects in the host and have certain advantages over petroleumderived plastics. The current emphasis on sustainability, eco-efficiency and green chemistry has led to intensive search for renewable and environmentally friendly resources. Thus, sustainable development is recognized to be essential for the growth of the economy and industrial productivity. A polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) producing Gram-positive, rod-shaped, motile bacterium was isolated from the polluted pond water. Strain SKM7T grew at 15–40ºC and pH 5.0–8.5 and in the presence of 0–1.5% (w/v) NaCl. The strain was catalase-positive and oxidase-positive. Antimicrobial activities were studied. The DNA G+C content was 53 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain is a member of the genus Bacillus and is most closely related to B. aryabhattai B8W22(T) (99.01%), B. megaterium IAM 13418(T) (98.86%), B. flexus IFO 15715(T) (97.80%). The sequence of the 16S rDNA gene of strain SKM-7 was determined as 1554 bp and deposited in the EMBL under accession no. LM655314. The major isoprenoid quinine was MK-7 and an unidentified glycolipid was identified. The major fatty acid are dominated by saturated iso and anteiso (anteisoC14:0, iso-C15:0, anteisoC15:0, anteisoC16::0). The phenotypic and genotypic properties clearly indicate that strain represents a novel species of the genus Bacillus. The strain produced PHA in mineral medium consisting of glucose and nitrogenous substances. The type strain is SKM7T (=KCTC 33686T).

Seasonal variations in physico-chemical characteristics of pond and ground water of Tiruchirapalli, India.

The aim of this study was to assess the open pond and groundwater quality of Tiruchirapalli city of Tamil Nadu, India. The groundwater quality viz., pH, electrical conductivity, total hardness, calcium ion, magnesium ion, chloride, carbonate, bicarbonate, inorganic nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, ammonia and reactive silicate were analysed with respect to various seasons and recorded in the range of 7.1 to 8.1, 97.67 to 533.67 mhos cm-1, 7.07 to 186 mg l-1, 4.67 and 112.0 mg l-1, 2.40 to 92.80 mg l-1, 15.23 to 661.73 mg l-1, 60 to 480 mg l-1, 22.7 to 544.9 mg l-1, 15.33 to 68.00 mg l-1, 0.001 to 0.480 mg l-1, 0.01 to 0.42 mg l-1, 0.02 to 0.75 mg l-1 and 1.1 to 2.96 mg l-1 respectively. The present findings concluded that the quality of ground waters can be considered suitable for human consumption. But the pond water available in and around Tiruchirappalli city was not fit for human usage, agricultural or industrial purposes.

Temporal variation in the water quality of ponds and effluent of grow-out ponds of Amazon River prawn Macrobrachium amazonicum

This study was conducted in the Crustacean Sector of the Aquaculture Center (CAUNESP) at the São Paulo State University, Jaboticabal (21°1522”S and 48°1848”W) São Paulo, Brazil, from December 2003 to May 2004. The aim was to examine the water quality parameters of importance to freshwater prawn culture, operated in a semi-intensive system in Amazon River. Nine 0.01-ha earthen ponds were stocked with 20 juveniles.m-2. Prawns were fed commercial diet at a rate of 7 to 9% of biomass until the 14th week. After 145 days of stocking, all ponds were drained and harvested. The following water parameters were determined weekly: dissolved oxygen, oxygen biochemical demand, pH, total alkalinity, electrical conductivity, suspended total solids and turbidity, N-nitrate, N-nitrite, N-nitrogen ammonia, N- total, soluble ortophosphate, total phosphorus, chlorophyll and pheophytin. In the semi-intensive culture system of M. amazonicum, there was no clear pattern of temporal variation in the limnological variables studied. Dissolved oxygen, pH, BOD, ammonia nitrogen and nitrate increased in the afternoon period while, the other variables did not change. In general, water quality is more dependent on the biological processes that occur in the pond than on the characteristics of the renewal water for some variable

Este estudio se llevó a cabo en el Sector de Crustáceos del Centro de Acuicultura (CAUNESP) de la Universidad Estadual Paulista, Jaboticabal (21°15'22”S y 48°18'48”W) en São Paulo, Brasil; entre diciembre de 2003 y mayo de 2004. El objetivo fue evaluar los parámetros de calidad de agua con importancia para los cultivos de camarón de agua dulce, operado en un sistema semi-intensivo de estanques en río Amazonas. Nueve estanques de 0,01 ha, fueron sembrados a una densidad de 20 juveniles.m-2, y alimentados con una dieta comercial a una tasa de 7 a 9% de la biomassa, hasta la semana 14. Después de 145 días de crianza, todos los estanques fueron drenados y cosechados. Se determinaron semanalmente los siguientes: oxígeno disuelto, demanda bioquímica de oxígeno, pH, alcalinidad total, conductividad eléctrica, sólidos totales en suspensión y turbidez, nitrato-N, N-nitrito, amoníaco-nitrógeno N, N-total, ortofosfato soluble, total fósforo, clorofila y feofitina. En el sistema de cultivo semi-intensivo de M. amazonicum, no hubo un patrón claro de variación temporal en las variables limnológicas estudiadas. Oxígeno disuelto, pH, DBO, nitrógeno amoniacal y nitratos aumentaron durante las tardes, mientras que las otras variables no cambiaron. En general, la calidad del agua es más dependiente de los procesos biológicos que se producen en el estanque, que de las características de la renovación del agua para alguna variable