PRODU CTION OF XANTHAN GUM USING XANTHOMONAS CAMPESTRIS ISOLATED FROM THE LEAVES OF SOME PLANT IN KEFFI, NIGERIA

Xanthan gum is a microbial exopolysaccharide produced by Xanthamonas campestris from sugar fermentation. Studies on production of xanthan gum using Xanthamos campestris isolated from some plant leaves (Mango,Orange,Rice,Melon and Sugar cane) in Keffi Nigeria was carried out. Leaves samples from five (5) different plant species growing in Keffi, were collected and X. campestris were isolated and identified using standard microbiological methods. Xanthan gum was produced and analyzed using the Fourier Transformed Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. X. campestris count was higher in sample of Mango leaves (4.0x107cfu/g) and the lowest count was sample of Rice leaves (1.8x107cfu/g). The Optimum conditions for xanthan gum production in the fermentation media were Time [72 hours (1.05 g/l)], Temperature [30ºC (2.12 g/l)], pH [6.0 (0.9 g/l)], Substrate concentration [10 %( 1.00g/l)] respectively. The yield of biomass was found to be highest in X.campestris isolated from sugar cane leaves (4.12 g/l) but lowest in X.campestris isolated from rice leaves (2.22 g/l) while the xanthan gum produced was highest in X.campestris isolated from orange leaves (1.9 g/l). Four sets of fermentation media (formulated sweet potato peel, glucose, maltose and sucrose) were prepared as the four different carbon source used in this investigation. There is need to make further studies that would lead pilot-scale production of xanthan gum for commercial purposes in Nigeria