Extraction and Analysis of Melanin Pigment Produced by Clostridium tertium Isolated from Water Sample of Saline Belt in West Vidardha Region

The aim of this study was to isolate a bacterium producing melanin pigment, its morphological, biochemical and molecular identification, studying effects of parameters like pH and temperature on the isolate and its melanin producing ability, extraction of melanin pigment from the isolate, chemical characterization of the melanin pigment and performing analytical techniques to confirm the pigment as melanin. A bacterium producing melanin pigment was isolated from a borewell water sample from a saline belt in west Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, India using nutrient agar medium enriched with L-tyrosine amino acid. It was identified as Clostridium tertium using molecular technique of 16S rRNA sequencing analysis. It was found to grow and produce melanin from pH-7 to 14 and it could tolerate and produce melanin at temperature range of 5C to 55C. The extracted crude melanin pigment was water soluble and techniques like Ultraviolet-Visible spectrum analysis and Fourier Transmission Infra-red spectrum analysis proved that the pigment extract is melanin.