Author(s)

H. Sarvamangala¹, Vinay B. Raghavendra², S. T. Girisha^1*

¹Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Bangalore University, Bengaluru, India.
²Teresian Research Center, Siddarthanagar, Mysore, India.

Biobeneficiation processes involving the separation of valuable minerals from ores and materials using conventional flotation and flocculation methods have been shown to be promising in recent years. There is an enormous potential to utilize microorganisms as flocculating agents, flotation collectors and/or depressants. The study involves Biobeneficiation of oxide minerals using Bacillus subtilis. Characterization of minerals (hematite, corundum, calcite and quartz) was carried out through XRD, EDAX and FTIR techniques. FTIR of minerals before and after interaction with cells, cell free extract and extracellular proteins was carried out and it has been found that there is a shift or change in the peaks of functional groups. In presence of protein adsorption, amide peaks were found and in case of polysaccharide adsorption, carboxyl peaks were found which justify the flotation and flocculation results. MALDI-TOF was carried out to confirm the molecular weights of the extracted proteins and it was found that molecular weight of proteins on interaction with minerals was higher than that of uninteracted minerals.

Biobeneficiation, FTIR, MALDI-TOF, Bacillus subtilis, Oxide Minerals

Sarvamangala, H. , Raghavendra, V. and Girisha, S. (2017) Biobenefication of Oxide Minerals from Bacillus subtilis Using FTIR and MALDI-TOF Techniques. Journal of Environmental Protection, 8, 194-205. doi: 10.4236/jep.2017.82015.