The Biotreatment of Oil-Polluted Seawater by Biosurfactant Producer Halotolerant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Asph2

Abstract

In this study, a halotolerant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Asph2 was used to bioremediate oil polluted seawater with total petroleum hydrocarbon content of 5 g/L in a batch system using a local, readily available, and commercial nutrient, corn steep liquor. P. aeruginosa Asph2 expressed good biodegradation capabilities for different petroleum hydrocarbon components, recording ≈ 58, 64, 56, 55, and 53% for total petroleum hydrocarbon, saturates, aromatics, asphaltenes, and resins, respectively, within 21 days of incubation at 30°C, pH 7, and 150 rpm. P. aeruginosa Asph2 proved good uptake of crude oil with high production of rhamnolipid biosurfactant. The produced biosurfactant exhibited low surface tension of 36 dyne/cm, low critical micelle concentration of 20 mg/L, and good emulsification index E24 of 55%.