Extraction and characterization of Chitosan from Shell of Borassus flabellifer and their antibacterial and antioxidant applications.

Chitosan is a bio-polymer made up of repeating units of N-acetyl glucosamine and glucosamine joined together by (1-4)-glycosidic linkages. Various bioresources have been used to develop bioactive materials that have a wide range of applications in different fields, including industry and medicine. Borassus flabellifer is a well-known source of chitin in the sub-Indian continent and is used in digestion, pharmaceuticals, and other applications. Chitin can be extracted from B. flabellifer fruit shells through demineralization and deproteinization and then converted into chitosan through deacetylation. This study aimed to investigate the biological activity of chitosan extracted from B. flabellifer fruit shells and to analyze its molecular structure using FT-IR analysis. Results showed the presence of NH, OH, and CO stretching, indicating the presence of various functional groups in chitosan. Scanning electron microscopic study revealed the topography of the chitosan. Well-diffusion and MIC tests showed that chitosan exhibited activity against E. coli and S. aureus. The chitosan extract also exhibited potential antioxidant polymer by scavenging free radicals.

Isolation and Characterization of Biosurfactant-Producing Soil Fungus Penicillium sp.

In this study, a fungal species was isolated from rhizospheric soil and identified as Penicillium sp. by ITS sequencing. The Penicillium sp. has been screened for the biosurfactant production, viz., haemolytic activity, oil spreading assay and emulsification index. The biosurfactant from cell-free supernatant was extracted using acid precipitation followed by solvent-solvent extraction. The physiochemical properties of the extracted biosurfactant were analysed using FTIR; the major peaks that show at 1720 cm-1, 1531 cm-1, 1419 cm-1, 1251 cm-1 and 1010 cm-1 correspond to aliphatic chains, sugars and ester carbonyl groups. The fatty acids present in the extracted biosurfactant were analysed using GCMS, in which a molecular mass of 256 and 284 m/z showed the presence of n-hexadecenoic acid and octadecanoic acid respectively which indicate the presence of rhamnolipid, which is a major biosurfactant. The biosurfactant extracted from Penicllium sp. demonstrated antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In future perspectives, the biosurfactant extracted from the isolated species holds great potential as a broad-spectrum antibacterial agent and could be utilized in various healthcare applications.