Hydrobiology of hypersaline Sambhar salt Lake a Ramsar site, Rajasthan, India

Abstract

Hydrobiology of Sambhar Salt Lake a Ramsar site, Rajasthan was studied with respect to their chemical composition of brine and extremely haloalkaliphililes. Chemical compositions of brine samples were analyzed. Brine had pH value of 11 and a total salt content 30% (w/v). The sodium chloride and sodium bicarbonate were principal salts of brine. Metals like Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, As, Cr, Pb, and Cd were detected in significant amount. Total 64 morphologically distinct isolates were recovered from brine samples out of that five were confirmed as red extremely haloalkaliphilic archaeabacteria and identified by using 16S rRNA sequencing method. All five isolates were required high salt (10-30%) and alkaline pH (9-10) for their optimum growth and pigmentation.16S rRNA sequencing revealed that selected isolates were members of Natronococcus geneus.