Response surface optimization of prodigiosin production by phthalate degrading SP1 and exploring its antibacterial activity.

The role of various parameters like temperature, pH, blood bag concentration, agitation and incubation that influence the production of prodigiosin by SP1 was determined. The Plackett-Burman and Box-Behnken experimental designs were employed to statistically optimize and find out the best combinational effect of parameters for the better yield of prodigiosin using blood bag as sole carbon and energy source for the growth of SP1. The maximum (1.314 mg/ml) prodigiosin production was attained at a temperature of 24 °C, pH (8.8), and blood bag (1 g) as optimum; while the predicted value was 1.319 mg/ml with a correlation coefficient of 0.987; which signifies the fitness of the model. Antimicrobial activity of the prodigiosin was also evaluated and found to be an effective agent against bacterial pathogens including and Utilization of the plasticizer di (2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) in blood bag and the production of antibacterial prodigiosin makes SP1, an effective competitor toward the pathogenic bacterial disinfection and wastewater treatment processes.