Caracterización de cepas bacterianas psicrófilas de los glaciares tropicales en el volcán Chimborazo

Abstract

The purpose of the current research was to characterize the psychrophilic bacterial strain of Chimborazo volcano tropical glaciers. It was necessary to carry out two samplings, one in summer (September) and the other in winter (February); they consisted on the collection of glacier ice samplings from three different points of the volcano. Some parameters like temperature, pH and electric conductivity were measured on-site, while some other parameters like pH, electric conductivity, color, turbidity, hardness, alkalinity and iron concentration were measured off-site. The samples were inoculated fivefold, both in agar R2A and in nutritive agar trough the surface seeding technique and were incubated at 4°, 10° and 20°C. 34 different bacterial strains were isolated according to their morphology; and for their identification it was necessary to analyze the macro and microscopic characteristics; then some common biochemical tests, enzymatic tests to determine the amylolytic, proteolytic and lipolytic activity and antibiotic sensitivity testing were carried out. 73% of isolated bacteria were Gram negative while 26.47% Gram positive, this evidences a low antibiotic resistance. In addition, according to the results obtained in the physiological tests the following types can be suggested: Bacillus sp. and Pseudomonas sp. The glaciers of Chimborazo volcano have a wide psychrophile bacterial diversity which is at permanent risk due to the increase in the temperature of the planet. Thus, it is necessary to carry out further studies for the molecular characterization of isolated strains.