Poonsuk Prasertsan and Saithong Kaewchai

pp. 413 - 420

Abstract

Among fifteen thermotolerant polymer-producing isolates, three strains SM 29, WD 90, and SM 38
produced polymer posessing very high flocculating activities (24.81, 14.63 and 10.84, respectively) and flocculation rates (94.29, 90.69 and 87.84, respectively). These three strains were identified to be Bacillus subtilis
WD90, Bacillus subtilis SM 29, and Enterobacter agglomerans SM 38. Treatment of palm oil mill effluent
(POME) by these three selected strains under aerobic condition at 45ºC for 48 h revealed that neither oil
separation nor flocculation of solids was observed. However, all three strains were able to decolorize the
POME from dark brown to very light yellow. Flocculant produced from the three selected isolates could not
separate the suspended solids and oil from the POME.