The production of bioflocculants by Bacillus licheniformis using molasses and its application in the sugarcane industry

A bioflocculant produced by B. licheniformis was investigated with regard to a low-cost culture medium and its industrial application. Molasses replaced sucrose as the sole carbon source in bioflocculant fermentation. The optimum low-cost culture medium was determined to be composed of 20 g/L molasses, 0.4 g/L urea, 0.4 g/L NaCl, 0.2 g/L KH₂PO₄, 1.6 g/L K₂HPO₄, and 0.2 g/L MgSO₄. The bioflocculant from B. licheniformis was then applied to treat sugarcane-neutralizing juice to remove colloids, suspended particles, and coloring matters in a sugar refinery factory. The optimal operation conditions were a bioflocculant dosage of 21 U/mL, pH 7.3 and a heating temperature of 100°C. The color and turbidity of the sugarcane juice reached IU 1267 and IU 206, respectively, after clarification with the bioflocculant; these values were almost the same as those acquired following treatment with polyacrylamide (PAM), the most widely applied flocculant in sugar industries. These results suggest the great potential for use of bioflocculants in the sugar refinery process.