Exopolysaccharides-Producing Biofilm Bacteria from Submerged Seawater Substrate for Bioremediation of Heavy Metal...

<b>Background and Objective:</b> The coastal environment is often polluted by various toxic compounds such as heavy metals. Exposure to these toxic compounds causes coastal bacteria to adapt so that they can be used as bioremediation agents for heavy metals. This study aims for finding and screening the ability of bacteria to produce exopolysaccharide biofilms and then determine the characteristics of bacterial isolates as agents candidates for heavy metal bioremediation in the coastal environment. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> Samples were collected on submerged seawater substrate from Bungus Coastal, Padang and West Sumatra, on the wet area that was exposed by seawater (on the rocks, on the wood and the ship, the lower out part on the ship that exposed to seawater). Bacterial isolation process using Marine Agar Medium. The isolate discovered then observed and purified. Furthermore, Congo Red Agar was used for bacteria screening for detecting EPS produced by biofilm bacteria. <b>Results:</b> The results of the isolation, found 9 bacterial isolates attached to the substrate submerged seawater. The screening results showed that isolates K4, K5 and K7 were positive as biofilm-forming bacteria as indicated by the colour change of the bacterial colonies to black on Congo Red Media after 24 hrs incubation. The characteristics of the three bacterial isolates were gram-negative, with cocci and bacilli cells form. <b>Conclusion:</b> Three isolates of positive exopolysaccharide biofilm bacteria that 1 isolate gram-negative coccus (K4) and the other 2 isolates (K5 and K7) were bacillus. Then, the 3 isolates can be used for remediation of metal contamination research in aquatic.