Investigating the effect of chemical coagulants on antimicrobial activity of Hevea skim latex Sera

Abstract

Skim latex is a by-product from rubber processing industry. Skim latex contributes to a high statistic of environmental problems due to the discharging of untreated skim latex into the waterways. The treatment of the skim latex needs a high amount of expenses due to the specific treatment process should be done. The wasteful skim latex contains numerous useful proteins and amino acid components that should be recovered instead of dumping it. In the present work, proteins present in skim latex can be used as a antimicrobial agent regarding to the existence of the inhibitor proteins such as proteases and hydrolases that would inhibit the microorganism growth. These precious proteins in skim latex serum could be recovered using acid coagulation process. In this research, the coagulation process was carried out by using two different chemical coagulants that were sulphuric acid and actic acid. The effect of utilizing each of these acid against the total protein recovered was analyzed by Design Expert® Software version 7.1.5. The purpose of using acid coagulant is to promote the coagulum which then could separate the rubber particles from the skim latex and thus recover its serum. From the statistical analysis, the total protein recovered was highly affected by the pH and concentration of the acid coagulants used. Positive detections of antimicrobial activity were observed on Bacillus Subtillus (ATCC 6633) and Escherichia Coli (ATCC 25922) which point out that both bacteria were susceptible towards the skim latex serum regarding to the formation of inhibition zone. The study was significant as an initial attempt to the utilization of the wasteful skim latex serum rather than treating it and would become an alternative way to solve the environmental problems caused by the skim latex waste.