Isolation and Identification of Moderately Halophilic Bacteria from Soak Liquor Samples Collected of Leather Tanneries

Isolation and identification of protease and lipase producing moderately halophilic bacteria from soak liquor samples and studying their adverse effects to the sheepskin using scanning electron microscopy may provide critical data on decomposition of raw hide/skin materials during soaking process. Moreover, enzyme-production properties of the moderately halophilic isolates (such as catalase, oxidase, lipase, protease, urease, caseinase, amylase, cellulase, pullulanase, xylanase) were determined. The effects of different NaCl concentrations, pH and temperature values on the growth of moderately halophilic bacterial isolates were tested. In the present study, four moderately halophilic bacterial isolates were isolated and selected for further experiments. The isolated species designated as SLMHB5, SLMHB10, SLMHB12, SLMHB13 were similar to Vibrio alginolyticus, Terribacillus halophilus, Vibrio alginolyticus, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus species, respectively. Scanning electron micrographs of sheepskin samples demonstrated that enzymatic activities of moderately halophilic bacteria isolated from soak liquor samples which decomposed the skin structure. After 35-days storage period, the sheepskin sample showed bad odor, sticky appearance and hair slip. Hence, it is recommended to control these microorganisms during the soaking process with an effective antimicrobial agent.