Isolation and Characterization of Fungal and Bacterial Proteolytic Strains from Chrome Shavings

The chrome shavings waste obtained as a result of the leather finishing process accumulates in a large volume in tanneries and represent a major problem for the environment. This waste are particularly resistant to attack of microorganisms, due to the significant concentration of chromium and are thus difficult to degrade. In this study, chrome shavings were analyzed microbiologically by determining the total number of germs and the number of yeasts and molds on specific culture media. Several bacterial and fungal strains were isolated from the cultures in Petri dishes, after the growth of the colonies. These strains were characterized in terms of the production of proteolytic enzymes, by a method of screening on the media with casein, which allows the determination of proteolytic indices of microorganisms. As a result of the tests performed, five bacterial strains probably belonging to the genus Bacillus and two fungal strains from the genera Penicillium and Cladosporium were selected.