Application of a novel biopolymer for removal of Salmonella from poultry wastewater.

This study evaluated the potential of an extracellular, novel biopolymeric flocculant produced by a strain of Klebsiella terrigena for removal of Salmonella, a potent pathogen prevalent in poultry wastewater. The purified biopolymer was applied to poultry wastewater containing 3 log CFU cells of Salmonella. An optimized dosage of 2 mg L(-1) of the purified bioflocculant was sufficient to remove 80.3% Salmonella spp. within 30 min, at ambient temperature. Also this bioflocculant showed high flocculating activity (90%) against kaolin particles and proved to be far more effective than the other synthetic flocculants used in this study. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) with the genus specific Sal3 probe hybridized with the Salmonella present in the agglomerated matrix of the bioflocculant. Confocal laser scanning micrographs (CLSM) allowed a clear visualization of the spatial distribution of the total flocculated bacterial population (with DAPI and Eub338 probe) as well as Salmonella (with the Sal3 probe), indicating that the removed Salmonella remained bound and embedded within the flocculant matrix. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis exhibited a porous surface morphology. The bioflocculant was characterized to be a polysaccharide by FTIR, HPLC, CHN and chemical analysis. A viable alternative treatment technology of poultry wastewater using this novel bioflocculant is suggested.