A study of tannic acid degradation by soil bacteria.

A tannin-degrading strain of Bacillus sp. AB1 was isolated from a garden soil by enrichment. This organism was able to utilize 1% (w/v) tannic acid-a gallotannin at 30 degrees C and pH below 4.5 in a defined mineral medium where the acid was the sole source of carbon and energy under 96 h. Growth resulted in increase in OD concomitant with gradual decrease in pH of the culture medium. Analysis of the culture fluid by paper chromatography revealed glucose and gallic acid as major metabolites of tannic acid degradative pathway. Mineralization of tannic acid was informed when none of the metabolites was recovered after 96 h of incubation. The degradation potential of this isolate could be exploited for the production of tannase, improvement of livestock production and also detoxification of tannery effluents at extreme acidic conditions.