Production of chitinase by Pseudomonas aeruginosa K-187 using shrimp and crab shell powder as a carbon source.

Shrimp and crab shell powder prepared by treating shrimp and crab processing waste with boiling and crashing was used as a substrate for isolating alkali-tolerant chitinolytic microorganisms. Strain K-187 appeared to be the chitinase-producing strain with the most potential. The organism was identified as a strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Maximum chitinase activity was obtained when the strain was grown aerobically in a medium consisting of 3.0% shrimp and crab shell powder, 0.1% CMC, 0.1% (NH4)2SO4, 0.1% K2HPO4, 0.1% MgSO4.D7H2O and 0.1% ZnSO4 (pH 9), at 45 degrees C after 3 days. The optimum pH and temperature of the enzyme reaction were 7 and 40 degrees C, respectively. The chitinase was stable at pH from 5 to 10 and was stable under 60 degrees C.