SULFATED EXTRACELLULAR POLYSACCHARIDE PRODUCTION BY THE HALOPHILIC CYANOBACTEVIUM APHANOCAPSA-HALOPHYTIA IMMOBILIZED ON LIGHT-DIFFUSING OPTICAL FIBERS

The cyanobacterium, Aphanocapsa halophytia MN-11, was immobilized in c alcium alginate gel and coated on light-diffusing optical fibers (LDOF ) for sulfated extracellular polysaccharide production. Results indica ted that sulfated extracellular polysaccharide production depends on t he number of immobilized cells and the light intensity. In addition, t he production rate reached 116.0 mg (mg dry cells)(-1) day(-1) when th e cells that were immobilized on LDOF were incubated under a light int ensity of 1380 ed sr m(-2) at a cell concentration of 1.0 x 10(8) cell s/cm(3) gel. Cells immobilized on LDOF produced about ten times more s ulfated extracellular polysaccharide than those immobilized in calcium alginate beads only (11.7 mg(mg dry cells)(-1) day(-1)).