Table 5 Effect of different inoculums size, different metal ions and different phosphates on EPSs production

Inoculum size CFU/ ml (%V/V)

 4.9 × 10⁵

3.2 ± 0.1^d

0.20 ± 0.01^d

 2.01 × 10⁵

4.3 ± 0.3^b

0.42 ± 0.01^b

 1.8 × 10⁵

4.9 ± 0.4^a

0.55 ± 0.4^a

 0.9 × 10⁵

3.5 ± 0.3^c

0.28 ± 0.01^c

Different metal ions

 KCl

4.5 ± 0.3^a

0.50 ± 0.01^a

 NaCl

4.0 ± 0.3^b

0.45 ± 0.02^b

 CaCl₂

3.9 ± 0.3^c

0.43 ± 0.02^c

 MgCl₂

3.8 ± 0.2^c

0.41 ± 0.01^d

Different phosphates

 KH₂PO₄ (0.05%)

4.7 ± 0.6^a

0.53 ± 0.3^a

 KH₂PO₄ (0.1%)

4.1 ± 0.2^d

0.44 ± 0.01^c

 NaH₂PO₄ (0.05%)

4.5 ± 0.3^b

0.50 ± 0.01^b

 NaH₂PO₄ (0.1%)

3.9 ± 0.2^e

0.41 ± 0.01^d

 K₂HPO₄ (0.05%)

4.3 ± 0.2^c

0.49 ± 0.02^b

 K₂HPO₄ (0.1%)

3.8 ± 0.1^e

0.39 ± 0.01^e