Title: A high-alkaline protease from Bacillus pseudofirmus SVB1: potential tool for green tannery

Authors: Shampa Sen; Veeranki Venkata Dasu; Diptesh Mahajan

Addresses: Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio-Science and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, India ' IIIT Nuzvid, Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies (RGUKT), Administrative Block (I-3), Mylavaram Road, NUZVID, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh 521202, India ' School of Bio-Science and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, India

Abstract: Tannery industries widely employ conventional processes which generate a huge amount of pollutants. Hence, pursuit of an efficient and cost-effective greener production processes is under way. The objective of this study was to develop an eco-friendly alternative to the traditional physico-chemical processes in tannery industries, by using alkaline protease isolated from Bacillus pseudofirmus SVB1. The isolated protease was used for dehairing goatskin and its efficiency was compared with that of other commercially used alkaline proteases. Scanning electron microscope studies of de-haired goatskin revealed that the epidermis was completely removed and the uprooted hair left empty follicles in the skin. Mechanical properties of the dehaired skin also established the superiority of this enzyme. A parallel attempt was made using this enzyme as a tool to facilitate bioremediation. The tannery effluents were treated using both crude and partially purified form of this protease. A significant drop in the levels of total solid, chemical oxygen demand and biological oxygen demand was observed in comparison to other commercially used alkaline proteases.

Keywords: alkaline protease; skin dehairing; tannery effluent; bioremediation; BOD.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2020.106292

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2020 Vol.25 No.3, pp.298 - 321

Received: 17 Sep 2018
Accepted: 29 Dec 2018
Published online: 02 Apr 2020 *

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