Chromium(VI) Resistance and Extracellular Polysaccharide (EPS) Synthesis by Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas and Methylobacterium Strains

Abstract

Microorganisms have great value in research, for multiple purposes during the last several decades. Resistance of various strains of microorganisms against chromium and the production of the extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) had been experimented and reveals the fact that the most of the strains (Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, Methylobacterium) which produced high concentration of EPS shown resistance to Cr(VI). The most resistant Methylobacterium mesophilium MU141 (435 mg/L) secreted higher EPS than the rest of the strain, The toxic effect of Cr(VI) on cell viability and total cell protein of M. mesophilium MU141 was treated by different concentration of Cr(VI), ranged from 15 and 35 ppm for 24 h. Hence, concentration of Cr(VI) can affect the EPS production at certain spectrum. Therefore, the result discloses the correlation between Cr(VI) resistance and EPS production among Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, Methylobacterium strains.