Masters Degrees (Microbiology)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (Microbiology) by browse.metadata.advisor "Britz, T. J."

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    Anaerobic digestion application in the treatment of gelatin-manufacturing effluent
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2000-12) Lloyd, Magaretha Hester; Van der Merwe-Botha, M.; Britz, T. J.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Microbiology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A severely polluted industrial effluent is generated by the local gelatinmanufacturing industry. Due to increasingly stringent restrictions on discharge qualities enforced by the National Water Act of 1998 and National Environmental Management Act of 1998, as well as increasing trade-effluent charges implemented via the Local Municipal Bylaws, the industry is compelled to consider a system to pre-treat the polluted effluent. A study was undertaken to examine the viability of anaerobic treatment of the gelatin-manufacturing effluent, since the anaerobic digestion technology is well recognised for the high success rate in the treatment of high-strength, complex wastewaters. Various laboratory and pilot-scale studies were done, using different hybrid Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) and contact designs. Two mesophilic laboratory-scale hybrid UASB digester designs, fitted with polyethylene (AD-1) and polyurethane (AD-2), performed well at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 1.0 d. Chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies of up to 90% (avg. 53%) for AD-1 and 83% (avg. 60%) for AD-2 at organic loading rates (OLR) of 9.56 and 4.62 kg COD.m-3.d-1, respectively, were obtained. High sulphate (S04) removal efficiencies of up to 96% (avg. 86%) for AD-1 and 98% (avg. 82%) for AD-2 were also achieved, respectively. A maximum total solid (TS) removal of 65% (avg. 25%) for AD-1 and 62% (avg. 28%) for AD-2 was reported. An average methane content of 80% (AD-1) and 79% (AD-2) with average methane yields per COD removed of 2.19 and 1.86 m3. kg CODremoved.df-o1r AD-1 and AD-2 were found, respectively. When the same digesters (AD-1 and AD-2) were combined in a muItiphase series configuration, a total COD removal efficiency of up to 97% (avg. 80%) at an OLR of 8.32 kg COD.m-3.d-1,was achieved. Excellent total S04 removals of 96% (avg. 69%) were accomplished. Up to 82% TS (avg. 29%) was also removed during this study and the biogas consisted of 89% methane (avg. 79%). For this multi-phase combination up to 92% volatile fatty acids (VFA) (avg. 48%) were removed, indicating possible selective phase separation of the respective fatty acid producing/utilising bacterial populations. The use of a laboratory-scale UASB bioreactor with recirculation, resulted in COD removal efficiencies of up to 96% (avg. 51%) at an HRT of 3.0 d, and 95% (avg. 54%) at a HRT of 1.0 d. Low performances were generally found, with average S04 and TS removals of 59% (max. 97%) and 26% (max. 67%), respectively at an HRT of 1.0 d. The biogas production was very low throughout the study (0.05 - 0.63 I,d-1 ). A pilot-scale UASB reactor (300 I) was constructed and performed satisfactory with a 58% average COD removal and maximum of 96%. S04 and TS removals up to 96% (avg. 44%) and 93% (avg. 63%), respectively, were obtained. The methane content of the biogas was 85%. The pilot-scale studies were conducted under actual field conditions, where various shock and organic loads had to be absorbed by the system. The pilot-scale contact configuration (300 I) did not perform satisfactory as a result of continuous blockages experienced in the feed and recirculation lines. Maximum COD, S04, VFA and TS removal efficiencies of 41% (avg. 27%), 62% (avg. 41%), 64% (avg. 27%) and 39% (avg. 21%), respectively, were obtained. The results of all the studies indicated acceptable COD removals with increasing OLR's. Indications of the presence of active methanogenic and sulphate-reducing bacterial populations were apparent throughout the studies. One possibility for the successful start-up and commissioning of the anaerobic reactors was the use of a well-adjusted biomass, which consisted of highly selected and adapted microbial consortium for the specific gelatinmanufacturing effluent. It was clear from this study that gelatin-manufacturing effluent can be treated successfully, especially with the use of the UASB design. A welldefined data base was constructed which could be of great value for further upscaling to a full-scale digester.
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    Characterization of thoeniicin 447 produced by Propionibacterium thoenii
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2002-12) Van der Merwe, Iansha (Iansha Rosalia), 1975-; Dicks, Leon Milner Theodore; Britz, T. J.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Microbiology.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Antimicrobial peptides continue to be one of the most important classes of food additives. The food industry is especially interested in the application of naturally occuring and biologically derived preservatives. Among the metabolites of industrial importance produced by propionibacteria are peptides called bacteriocins. Bacteriocins are ribosomally synthesized peptides with antagonistic activity against closely related microorganisms. Many microorganisms associated with food produce bacteriocins, which have stimulated interest in the use of these peptides as natural food preservatives. Numerous bacteriocins are produced by lactic acid bacteria, but only a few have been reported for propionibacteria. Since propionic acid bacteria have GRAS (generally regarded as safe) status, their metabolic compounds should be safe for human consumption. Propionibacterium thoenii 447, isolated from Emmentaler cheese, produces a bacteriocin-like peptide, named thoeniicin 447, with a narrow spectrum of activity. The peptide displays a bactericidal mode of action against Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and a bacteriostatic action against Propionibacterium acnes. Optimal bacteriocin production was detected during the early stationary growth phase. The peptide is resistant to heat treatments of 60°C and 80°C for 15 and 30 min and to 100°C for 15 min, but loses 80% of its activity after autoclaving (10 min at 121°C). Thoeniicin 447 remains active after incubation in buffers with pH values ranging from 1-10. The peptide is inactivated by pepsin, pronase, a-chymotrypsin, trypsin and Proteinase K. Thoeniicin 447 was partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, followed by SP-Sepharose cation exchange chromatography. The estimated size of thoeniicin 447, according to tricine-SDSPAGE, is approximately 6 kDa. Based on DNA sequencing, the mature peptide is 7130 Da in size and homologous to propionicin Tl produced by P. thoenii strain 419. Thoeniicin 447 is a relatively small, cationic and heat-stable peptide and can therefor be classified as a member of class II bacteriocins. These features are very similar to those of bacteriocins produced by lactic acid bacteria. However, no unique classification system has been proposed for bacteriocins of propionibacteria. As a member of the genus Propionibacterium, P. thoenii 447 is generally regarded as safe. This, together with the narrow spectrum of activity, particularly the action against P. acnes, heat tolerance of thoeniicin 447 and its activity over a wide pH range renders the peptide suitable for possible pharmaceutical applications.