Awards
Degrees:
2016
Doctorate Other
Halophiles are extremophiles living in extreme salt environments and are a huge untapped resource of potential industrially important metabolic products with interesting industrial applications. My PhD work aimed at exploring the halophiles from solar salterns of Goa and Tamil Nadu, India and screening them for the synthesis of Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) and studying their mechanism to combat such hypersline environment. Potential biopolymer producing isolates were identified as Bacillus megaterium nd Halogeometricum borinquense. The polymer accumulated was characterized to be a homopolymer of PHB and co-polymer of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) [P(HB-co-HV)]. High production costs, and low yields are the major hurdles for the commercial production and application of PHA. Our study, reported the potential of Hgm. borinquense strain E3 to synthesize copolymer of [P(HB-co-HV)] naturally, unlike most of the bacteria which require media supplements such as propionic/valeric acid which are expensive & toxic as precursors for PHBV synthesis. Moreover, industrial processes require organisms with standing harsh physicochemical conditions like high salt concentration analogous to high ionic strength and low water activity (aw) and employing extreme halophiles can efficiently withstand and grow at such extreme conditions.
2009
Master Other
2007-2009 Goa University, India
M.Sc. Project title: “Microbiological Study of Ground and other Waters in Margao-Ward-No-1 Housing Sonsoddo-Garbage Dump of Municipality of Margao-Goa-India.”.
Margao is the commercial capital of Goa-India. The waste from the city is dumped at the rate of 40-50 tonnes/day, at an elevated site namely, Sonsoddo in Gogol ward No.1 under Margao municipality. The site at the time of our study in 2008 was a huge man made hillock of mixed garbage. Ground and other water samples (bore well, tube well, drainage, etc.) were examined for physical parameters and microbiological analysis. My study reported heavy bacterial contamination in ground water of active wells around the Sonsoddo garbage dump conventionally known to be hazardous to human health. Significantly the study was expected to bring public awareness, guide local authorities in framing appropriate management measures that would protect the well waters, reduce pollution and disinfect the ground water for safe use.
2007
Undergraduate Other
Publications resulting from Research
Publications in International Journals
(1) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar & Rizma Rodrigues (2019) A Study on the Halophilic Archaeal Diversity from the Food Grade Iodised Crystal Salt from a Saltern of India. Microbiology, vol.88 (6), 709-719. (doi: 10.1134/S002626171906016X).
(2) Das, D., Kalra, I., Mani, K., Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, & Braganca, J. M. (2019). Characterization of extremely halophilic archaeal isolates from Indian salt pans and their screening for production of hydrolytic enzymes. Environmental Sustainability, 1-13. (doi.org/10.1007/s42398-019-00077-x)
(3) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Divya T. Sawant, Saranya Harinarayanan and Judith M. Bragança (2019) Alpha‐amylase Production by Extremely Halophilic Archaeon Halococcus Strain GUVSC8. Starch - Stärke. (doi: 10.1002/star.201800018, 1-10).
(4) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Kabilan Mani and Judith M. Bragança (2018) Sustainable Bioconversion of Cassava Waste to Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) by Halogeometricum borinquense Strain E3. Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 1-10. (DOI: 10.1007/s10924-018-1346-9).
(5) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar and Judith M. Bragança (2017) Utilization of Sugarcane Bagasse by Halogeometricum borinquense Strain E3 for Biosynthesis of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate). Bioengineering, 4, 50. (DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering4020050).
(6) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Deepthi Das and Judith M. Bragança (2016) Resistance of extremely halophilic archaea to zinc and zinc oxide nanoparticles. Applied Nanoscience 6: 251-258. (DOI: 10.1007/s13204-015-0424-8).
(7) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar and Judith M. Bragança (2015) Biosynthesis of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) by Halogeometricum borinquense strain E3. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 78:339-346 (DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2015.04.016).
(8) Kabilan Mani, Sivaraman Chandrasekaran, Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Srikanth Mutnuri, Judith M. Bragança (2015) Comparison of bacterial diversity from solar salterns and a simulated laboratory study. Annals of Microbiology 65(2):995-1005. (DOI: 10.1007/s13213-014-0944-6).
(9) Deepthi Das, Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Kabilan Mani and Judith M. Bragança (2014) Cadmium resistance in extremely halophilic archaeon Haloferax strain BBK2. Chemosphere Journal 112: 385–392. (DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.04.058).
(10) Vidhya Prabhudessai, Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Judith M. Bragança and Srikanth Mutnuri (2014) Pretreatment of Cottage Cheese to Enhance Biogas Production. BioMed Research International Article ID 374562, 6 pages. (DOI: 10.1155/2014/374562).
(11) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Kabilan Mani and Judith M. Bragança (2013) Accumulation of polyhydroxyalkanoates by halophilic archaea isolated from traditional solar salterns of India. Extremophiles Journal 17:787-795. (DOI: 10.1007/s00792-013-0561-5).
(12) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Kabilan Mani and Judith M. Bragança (2013) Characterization of polyhydroxyalkanotes accumulated by a moderately Halophilic Salt pan isolate Bacillus megaterium strain H16. Journal of Applied Microbiology 114:1347-1356. (DOI: 10.1111/jam.12135).
(13) Adit Chaudhary, Imran Pasha M., Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Judith M. Braganca (2014) Cadmium Tolerance by Haloarchaeal Strains Isolated from Solar Salterns of Goa, India. International Journal of Bioscience, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics 4 (1), 1. (DOI: 10.7763/IJBBB.2014.V4.299).
(14) Kabilan Mani, Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Deepthi Das and Judith M. Bragança (2012) Community solar salt production in Goa, India. BMC Aquatic Biosystems. 8:30. (DOI:10.1186/2046-9063-8-30).
(15) Kabilan Mani, Bhakti B. Salgaonkar and Judith M. Bragança (2012) Culturable halophilic archaea at the initial and crystallization stages of salt production in a natural solar saltern of Goa, India. BMC Aquatic Biosystems 8:15. (DOI: 10.1186/2046-9063-8-15).
(16) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Kabilan Mani, Anjana Nair, Sowmya Gangadharan and Judith M. Bragança (2012) Interspecific interactions among members of family Halobacteriaceae from natural solar salterns. Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins. 4(2):98-107. (DOI: 10.1007/s12602-012-9097-8).
(17) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Kabilan Mani and Judith M. Bragança (2011) Sensitivity of Haloarchaea to eubacterial pigments produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa SB1. World Journal Microbiology Biotechnology. 27:799–804. (DOI: 10.1007/s11274-010-0519-z).
Book Chapters
(1) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar and Judith M. Bragança (2019) Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates by extremophilic microorganisms through valorization of waste materials. Publisher: Elsevier. Advances in Biological Science Research, Chapter 26, 419-443.
(2) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar and Judith M. Bragança (2017) Polyhydroxyalkanoates Biosynthesis of Polyhydroxyalkanoates by Extremely Halophilic Archaea from Various Substrates.
(3) Kabilan Mani, Bhakti B. Salgaonkar and Judith M. Bragança (2013) Molecular Microbial ecology of solar salterns of Goa and the isolation of culturable Haloarchaea. New India Publishers Chapter 6, Pg. No: 59-74: In Microbial Diversity and Its Applications. Barbudde, S.B., R. Ramesh and N.P. Singh.
(1) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar & Rizma Rodrigues (2019) A Study on the Halophilic Archaeal Diversity from the Food Grade Iodised Crystal Salt from a Saltern of India. Microbiology, vol.88 (6), 709-719. (doi: 10.1134/S002626171906016X).
(2) Das, D., Kalra, I., Mani, K., Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, & Braganca, J. M. (2019). Characterization of extremely halophilic archaeal isolates from Indian salt pans and their screening for production of hydrolytic enzymes. Environmental Sustainability, 1-13. (doi.org/10.1007/s42398-019-00077-x)
(3) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Divya T. Sawant, Saranya Harinarayanan and Judith M. Bragança (2019) Alpha‐amylase Production by Extremely Halophilic Archaeon Halococcus Strain GUVSC8. Starch - Stärke. (doi: 10.1002/star.201800018, 1-10).
(4) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Kabilan Mani and Judith M. Bragança (2018) Sustainable Bioconversion of Cassava Waste to Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) by Halogeometricum borinquense Strain E3. Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 1-10. (DOI: 10.1007/s10924-018-1346-9).
(5) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar and Judith M. Bragança (2017) Utilization of Sugarcane Bagasse by Halogeometricum borinquense Strain E3 for Biosynthesis of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate). Bioengineering, 4, 50. (DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering4020050).
(6) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Deepthi Das and Judith M. Bragança (2016) Resistance of extremely halophilic archaea to zinc and zinc oxide nanoparticles. Applied Nanoscience 6: 251-258. (DOI: 10.1007/s13204-015-0424-8).
(7) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar and Judith M. Bragança (2015) Biosynthesis of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) by Halogeometricum borinquense strain E3. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 78:339-346 (DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2015.04.016).
(8) Kabilan Mani, Sivaraman Chandrasekaran, Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Srikanth Mutnuri, Judith M. Bragança (2015) Comparison of bacterial diversity from solar salterns and a simulated laboratory study. Annals of Microbiology 65(2):995-1005. (DOI: 10.1007/s13213-014-0944-6).
(9) Deepthi Das, Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Kabilan Mani and Judith M. Bragança (2014) Cadmium resistance in extremely halophilic archaeon Haloferax strain BBK2. Chemosphere Journal 112: 385–392. (DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.04.058).
(10) Vidhya Prabhudessai, Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Judith M. Bragança and Srikanth Mutnuri (2014) Pretreatment of Cottage Cheese to Enhance Biogas Production. BioMed Research International Article ID 374562, 6 pages. (DOI: 10.1155/2014/374562).
(11) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Kabilan Mani and Judith M. Bragança (2013) Accumulation of polyhydroxyalkanoates by halophilic archaea isolated from traditional solar salterns of India. Extremophiles Journal 17:787-795. (DOI: 10.1007/s00792-013-0561-5).
(12) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Kabilan Mani and Judith M. Bragança (2013) Characterization of polyhydroxyalkanotes accumulated by a moderately Halophilic Salt pan isolate Bacillus megaterium strain H16. Journal of Applied Microbiology 114:1347-1356. (DOI: 10.1111/jam.12135).
(13) Adit Chaudhary, Imran Pasha M., Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Judith M. Braganca (2014) Cadmium Tolerance by Haloarchaeal Strains Isolated from Solar Salterns of Goa, India. International Journal of Bioscience, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics 4 (1), 1. (DOI: 10.7763/IJBBB.2014.V4.299).
(14) Kabilan Mani, Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Deepthi Das and Judith M. Bragança (2012) Community solar salt production in Goa, India. BMC Aquatic Biosystems. 8:30. (DOI:10.1186/2046-9063-8-30).
(15) Kabilan Mani, Bhakti B. Salgaonkar and Judith M. Bragança (2012) Culturable halophilic archaea at the initial and crystallization stages of salt production in a natural solar saltern of Goa, India. BMC Aquatic Biosystems 8:15. (DOI: 10.1186/2046-9063-8-15).
(16) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Kabilan Mani, Anjana Nair, Sowmya Gangadharan and Judith M. Bragança (2012) Interspecific interactions among members of family Halobacteriaceae from natural solar salterns. Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins. 4(2):98-107. (DOI: 10.1007/s12602-012-9097-8).
(17) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar, Kabilan Mani and Judith M. Bragança (2011) Sensitivity of Haloarchaea to eubacterial pigments produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa SB1. World Journal Microbiology Biotechnology. 27:799–804. (DOI: 10.1007/s11274-010-0519-z).
Book Chapters
(1) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar and Judith M. Bragança (2019) Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates by extremophilic microorganisms through valorization of waste materials. Publisher: Elsevier. Advances in Biological Science Research, Chapter 26, 419-443.
(2) Bhakti B. Salgaonkar and Judith M. Bragança (2017) Polyhydroxyalkanoates Biosynthesis of Polyhydroxyalkanoates by Extremely Halophilic Archaea from Various Substrates.
(3) Kabilan Mani, Bhakti B. Salgaonkar and Judith M. Bragança (2013) Molecular Microbial ecology of solar salterns of Goa and the isolation of culturable Haloarchaea. New India Publishers Chapter 6, Pg. No: 59-74: In Microbial Diversity and Its Applications. Barbudde, S.B., R. Ramesh and N.P. Singh.
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