Effect of Copper and Cadmium on growth and - amylase activity of Bacillus megaterium
Shobha Shrivastava
Department of Botany, Govt. Sarojini Naidu Govt. Girl‘s P.G. (Auto) College Bhopal (India) Email: dr.shobhashrivastava@rediffmail.com
ABSTRACT
The present study was conducted to investigate the growth potential and -amylase activity of Bacillus megaterium NCIM 2670 under certain defined stress environment. The chosen determinants were copper and cadmium. The observations on growth and -amylase activity suggested that both the metals were toxic to B. megatarium, low concentrations of Cu although stimulated bacterial growth and enzyme activity. The bacterium was found to be more sensitive of Cd in comparison to Cu. Interaction between Cu and Cd appeared to be antagonistic as the depression of growth and enzyme activities by a mixture of the two was lesser than that caused by either of these. The study has ecological implications as the co-occurrence of Cu and Cd is common in contaminated soils.