BIOSYNTHESIS OF A POLYESTER POLY(3-HYDROXYBUTYRATE) FROM CRUDE PALM OIL (CPO) BY USING Bacillus sp. UAAC 21501

Abstract

A polyester poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) or P(3HB) is a natural polymer produced by certain bacteria that can accumulate P(3HB) granules in their cytoplasmic fluid. For these bacteria, the granule P(3HB) acts as a food reserve that can be used if the environmental conditions is not profitable for the growth. In this paper we describe the biosynthesis process of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) polyester compounds from crude palm oil (CPO) using Bacillus sp. UAAC 21501 with fermentation techniques that have been carried out at the Laboratory of Biotan Sumatra, University of Andalas, Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia. The fermentation process was carried out in a 250 ml conical flask using a rotary shaker incubator at a temperature of 50ºC, pH 7 and 200 rpm agitation with variations in fermentation time and CPO concentration. P(3HB) content accumulated in bacterial cells was determined by gas chromatography method. Then P(3HB) formed was extracted and methanolysis (esterification) to 3-hydroxybutyrate-methyl-ester. Results showed that the best CPO concentration in producing the amount of Bacillus sp. UAAC 21501 is at a concentration of 0.5 g/100 ml substrate with 48 hours of culture duration. In this condition, the amount of biomass obtained from Bacillus sp. UAAC 21501 was 164 mg/100 ml substrate, and the percentage of P(3HB) content in the cell was 0.133% w/w.