Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
18585 Enzyme and Microbial Technology 2006 9 Pages PDF
Abstract

The efficiency of eight extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) extraction methods was compared on two different activated sludges. Three chemical methods (EDTA, formaldehyde + NaOH, glutaraldehyde), four physical methods (sonication, cation exchange resin, sonication + cation exchange resin, heating) and a control method (centrifugation alone) were tested.EPS quantities extracted were more greater for chemical methods than those for physical methods. For the chemical methods used EPS contamination due to extracting reagents was pointed out by infra-red analysis. The EPS extracted by physical methods can show a different qualitative composition with protein and carbohydrate as predominant compounds. This study therefore underlines that the choice of EPS extraction method should not only be limited to extraction yield and nucleic acid content but should also consider that the EPS solution may be contaminated by extracting reagents and/or be greatly modified by the extraction protocol.

Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Chemical Engineering Bioengineering
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