Browsing by Author "Muhammad Usama Raza"

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    Comparison between the banana peels and molasses as a carbon source for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates in bacillus subtilis and pseudomonas aeruginosa
    (UMT Lahore, 2022-09-22) Noreen Iftikhar; Faiza Quddus; Navera Nadeem; Muhammad Usama Raza
    The growing consumer demand for plastics has led to extensive use of petrochemical-derived materials, but substituting them with polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) offers an environmentally friendly alternative that aligns with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this study, two bacterial strains, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were used to produce PHA. PHA production in both strains was confirmed using Nile blue A and Sudan black B staining through spread plate assays, as well as microscopic observation for Sudan staining. Glucose served as the standard carbon source, while banana peels and molasses were tested as cheaper, sustainable carbon substrates. The carbohydrate concentration in banana peel extract and molasses was estimated as 9.8 mg/mL and 29.4 mg/mL, respectively, using the phenol-sulfuric acid assay. Growth and PHA accumulation were monitored every 3 hours over a 48-hour batch fermentation period under stressful conditions at 150 rpm. PHA extraction was performed via sodium dodecyl sulfate digestion followed by chloroform extraction, and the functional groups of the produced monomers were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis. After 48 hours, PHA accumulation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa was 0.380 g/L (44.60%) using banana peels and 1.120 g/L (66.82%) using molasses, whereas Bacillus subtilis produced 0.288 g/L (39.18%) and 0.476 g/L (53.84%) under the same conditions. Statistical analysis using an unpaired t-test revealed that Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed a significant difference in PHA production between glucose and both alternative carbon substrates, while in Bacillus subtilis, a significant difference was observed only between glucose and banana peels.