Isolation, characterization and molecular identification of heavy metal resistant bacteria from industrial effluents, Amala-khadi- Ankleshwar, Gujarat

In recent years, heavy metal pollution has become one of the most serious environmental problems. The pollution of environment with toxic heavy metals is spreading throughout the world along with industrial progress. Presence of heavy metals even in traces is toxic and detrimental to all living organisms. Moreover it cannot be degraded in to simpler harmless compounds like other pollutants including, diverse range of organics, poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorines, dyes etc. The south Gujarat area is “Toxic Hotspot” in this state. In the presence study we have isolated and characterized six heavy metal resistant bacteria from industrial effluents from Amala Khadi, Ankleshwar (Gujarat). Initially total of 40 isolates were screened on Nutrient Agar plates containing different heavy metals Cr 6+ , Cu 2+ , Cd 2+ , Ni 2+ at concentration 50 ppm in their salt form. Isolates were selected based on high level of heavy metal resistance and it’s morphological and biochemical characterization was done. Identification based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified Comamonas testosteroni (JX028142), Bacillus sp. (JX028143), Aeromonas hdrophila (JX028144), Exibacterium profundum (JX028145), Bacillus cereus (JX028146) and Exiguobacterium sp. (JX028147). Isolates showed high degree of resistance to heavy metals under investigation, ranging from 25-300 ppm. These isolates can further be used for bioremediation of heavy metals form industrial effluent.