Highest Reduction Of Surface Tension Research Articles

Phylogenetic characterization and screening of halophilic bacteria from Algerian salt lake for the production of biosurfactant and enzymes

Environments containing significant concentration of NaCl such as salt lakes harbor extremophiles microorganisms which have a great biotechnology interest. To explore the diversity of Bacteria in Chott Tinsilt (Algeria), an isolation program was performed. Water samples were collected from the saltern during the pre-salt harvesting phase. This Chott is high in salt (22.47% (w/v). Seven halophiles Bacteria were selected for further characterization. The isolated strains were able to grow optimally in media with 10–25% (w/v) total salts. Molecular identification of the isolates was performed by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene. It showed that these cultured isolates included members belonging to the Halomonas, Staphylococcus, Salinivibrio, Planococcus and Halobacillus genera with less than 98% of similarity with their closest phylogenetic relative. The halophilic bacterial isolates were also characterized for the production of biosurfactant and industrially important enzymes. Most isolates produced hydrolases and biosurfactants at high salt concentration. In fact, this is the first report on bacterial strains (A4 and B4) which were a good biosurfactant and coagulase producer at 20% and 25% ((w/v)) NaCl. In addition, the biosurfactant produced by the strain B4 at high salinity (25%) was also stable at high temperature (30-100°C) and high alkalinity (pH 11).

Identification and optimization of biosurfactant producing bacteria isolated from rag layer crude oil emulsion

Biosurfactants are surface active compounds that synthesized as secondary metabolite by wide range of bacteria and have characteristic in lowering surface and interfacial tension. This study aimed to isolate and identify biosurfactant producing bacteria from rag layer crude oil emulsion. Rag layer is considered as undesirable material as it is difficult to be separated because of the stable interaction between different components. Mineral salt medium supplemented with glucose and crude oil was used to screen the ability of isolates to produce biosurfactant. Five bacterial strains that successfully isolated from rag layer crude oil emulsion sample were screened for hydrocarbon degradation and biosurfactant production. Two isolates shown positive results in drop collapse test, surface tension measurement and emulsification index, namely P3b and P4. 16S rRNA analysis revealed P3b and P4 to be closely related to Enterobacter xiangfangensis while P4 was Shewanella chilikensis, respectively. Only isolate P3b was selected for further study. Enterobacter xiangfangensis SSP3b16 was found to grow optimally at 37°C, pH 7.0 and 10mM glucose. The highest reduction of surface tension was recorded when culture medium supplemented with 7 % (v/v) glucose and 2 g/L ammonium nitrate. From this study, the biosurfactant production by Enterobacter xiangfangensis SSP3b16 can potentially be exploited to enhance oil recovery as well as in solving the rag layer problem in oil industries.

Adsorption mechanisms of alcoholic additives in water at low pressure – An experimental study

Alcoholic additives are used to enhance the heat and mass transfer of the absorber, which has been widely recognized as the bounding device of an absorption chiller. Small quantities of additives in the aqueous lithium bromide solution reduce its surface tension, leading to a better wetting of the tube bundle of the absorber and triggering the Marangoni convection. Nevertheless, the enhancement mechanism relies on many parameters which have not been yet studied in details. In this work, the adsorption mechanisms of surfactants at the interface of water drops are experimentally investigated. 2-ethylhexanol, 1-octanol, 3,5,5-trimethyl-1-hexanol and 3-phenyl-1-propanol are chosen as additives and are added to water in different concentrations. The static and dynamic surface tension is measured according to the pendant drop method and the surface excess concentration is hereafter calculated with the Gibbs isotherm. Drops are generated in a saturated atmosphere without inert gases at low pressure, which represents the real working condition of an absorber. The results show that 2-ethylhexanol, 1-octanol and 3,5,5-trimethyl-1-hexanol lead to high surface tension reduction at high concentrations, and they are characterized by a fast diffusion and adsorption. Contrary, 3-phenyl-1-propanol presents a slow adsorption kinetic and is not effective in reducing the surface tension of water.

Effect of Different Carbon Sources on Biosurfactants' Production by Three Strains of Lactobacillus spp.

The potential of three indigenous bacterial strains (Lactobacillus delbrueckii N2, Lactobacillus cellobiosus TM1, and Lactobacillus plantarum G88) for the production of biosurfactants using sugar cane molasses or glycerol as substrates was investigated through emulsifying, surface tension, and antimicrobial activities. The different biosurfactants produced with molasses as substrate exhibited high surface tension reduction from 72 mN/m to values ranged from 47.50 ± 1.78 to 41.90 ± 0.79 mN/m and high emulsification index ranging from 49.89 ± 5.28 to 81.00 ± 1.14%. Whatever the Lactobacillus strain or the substrate used, the biosurfactants produced showed antimicrobial activities against Candida albicans LV1, some pathogenic and/or spoilage Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The yields of biosurfactants with molasses (2.43 ± 0.09 to 3.03 ± 0.09 g/L) or glycerol (2.32 ± 0.19 to 2.82 ± 0.05 g/L) were significantly (p < 0.05) high compared to those obtained with MRS broth as substrate (0.30 ± 0.02 to 0.51 ± 0.09 g/L). Preliminary characterization of crude biosurfactants reveals that they are mainly glycoproteins and glycolipids with molasses and glycerol as substrate, respectively. Therefore, sugar cane molasses or glycerol can effectively be used by Lactobacillus strains as low-cost substrates to increase their biosurfactants production.

Antifungal properties of rhamnolipid produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa DS9 against Colletotrichum falcatum.

The rhamnolipid biosurfactant (RL-DS9) extracted from the bacterial strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa DS9 was evaluated for its antifungal activity against Colletotrichum falcatum that causes red rot in sugarcane. The surface tension (ST) reduction, biosurfactant production, and antifungal activity of biosurfactant against C. falcatum were investigated by using the medium with different carbon sources and it was found to be maximum in glucose. Moreover, highest reduction of ST and production of biosurfactant was achieved at 4.5% (w/v) concentration of glucose. The efficacy of RL-DS9 was compared with a commercially available rhamnolipid (RL-R95) using microtitre plate assay. Results showed that at 100 μg ml(-1) concentration RL-DS9 exhibited 86.6% inhibition against C. falcatum spore germination, and in the same concentration RL-R95 showed 83.3% inhibition. From liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis, it was revealed that only two similar congeners Rha-(C10 ) and Rha-Rha-(C10:1 ) were found to be in common among both the rhamnolipids. In the plant bioassay test, it was noted that red rot incidence was reduced on the sugarcane plants treated with RL-DS9. This is the first report that rhamnolipid biosurfactant produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa DS9 could be able to control red rot disease of sugarcane caused due to the infection with the fungus Colletotrichum falcatum.

Utilization of Banana Peel as a Novel Substrate for Biosurfactant Production by Halobacteriaceae archaeon AS65

In this study, biosurfactant-producing bacteria was evaluated for biosurfactant production by using banana peel as a sole carbon source. From the 71 strains screened, Halobacteriaceae archaeon AS65 produced the highest biosurfactant activity. The highest biosurfactant production (5.30 g/l) was obtained when the cells were grown on a minimal salt medium containing 35 % (w/v) banana peel and 1 g/l commercial monosodium glutamate at 30 °C and 200 rpm after 54 h of cultivation. The biosurfactant obtained by extraction with ethyl acetate showed high surface tension reduction (25.5 mN/m), a small critical micelle concentration value (10 mg/l), thermal and pH stability with respect to surface tension reduction and emulsification activity, and a high level of salt tolerance. The biosurfactant obtained was confirmed as a lipopeptide by using a biochemical test FT-IR, NMR, and mass spectrometry. The crude biosurfactant showed a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and had the ability to emulsify oil, enhance PAHs solubility, and oil bioremediation.

Isolation and characterization of a biosurfactant from Deinococcus caeni PO5 using jackfruit seed powder as a substrate

Biosurfactant-producing bacteria were isolated from various sources in the south of Thailand. Isolates were screened for biosurfactant production using jackfruit seed powder (JSP) as a novel and promising substrate. The highest biosurfactant activity was obtained with a bacterial strain which was identified by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis as Deinococcus caeni PO5. D. caeni PO5 was able to grow and reduce the surface tension of the culture supernatant from 67.0 to 25.0 mN/m after 87 h of cultivation when 40 g/l of JSP and 1 g/l of commercial monosodium glutamate were used as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. The biosurfactant obtained by ethyl acetate extraction showed high surface tension reduction (47.0 mN/m), a small critical micelle concentration value (8 mg/l), thermal and pH stability with respect to surface tension reduction and emulsification activity, and a high level of salt tolerance. Chemical characterization by biochemical testing, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and mass spectra revealed that the obtained biosurfactant was a glycolipid-type biosurfactant. The obtained biosurfactant was capable of forming stable emulsions with various hydrocarbons and had the ability to enhance oil recovery, the solubility of polyaromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metal removal, and antimicrobial activity.

Characteristics of crude oil biodegradation by biosurfactant-producing bacterium Bacillus subtilis JK-1

The production of biosurfactant by Bacillus subtilis JK-1 was investigated under several conditions. In sea water inoculated with 10% (v/v) of seed culture, the surface tension decreased from 75.0 to 38.4 dyne/cm after 12 h of incubation, which was the highest reduction of surface tension (49%) among the conditions tested. Surface tension further decreased to 31.2 dyne/cm when grown in 1% (v/v) B. subtilis JK-1 inoculated into sea water containing 1% (v/v) crude oil. The decrease of surface tension was similar after 24 h in sea water, sea water containing 1% (v/v) crude oil, and sea water containing 10% (v/v) crude oil using a 10% (v/v) B. subtilis JK-1 inoculum. The biosurfactant produced by B. subtilis JK-1 displayed highest emulsification activity on soybean oil and crude oil. Maximum emulsification stability was obtained from hexane (C6). Using crude oil as a substrate, the emulsification activity of the biosurfactant was much greater than those of chemically synthesized surfactants such as Tween 20 and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). In addition, the bacterial biosurfactant possessed the best emulsification stability when hexane (C6), and hexadecane (C16) were utilized as substrates, as compared to Tween 20, Triton X-100, and SDS. The crude oil in the culture broth was degraded by B. subtilis JK-1, and the C1–C29 carbon chain was almost completely degraded during the 48 h incubation. These results suggest that the biosurfactant of B. subtilis JK-1 is an appropriate candidate for bioremediation of crude oil contaminant.

An efficient biosurfactant-producing bacterium Selenomonas ruminantium CT2, isolated from mangrove sediment in south of Thailand

Biosurfactant-producing bacteria, isolate CT2, was isolated from mangrove sediment in the south of Thailand. The sequence of the 16S rRNA gene from isolate CT2 showed 100 % similarity with Selenomonas ruminantium. The highest biosurfactant production (5.02 g/l) was obtained when the cells were grown on minimal salt medium containing 15 g/l molasses and 1 g/l commercial monosodium glutamate supplemented with 1 g/l NaCl, 0.1 g/l leucine, 5 % (v/v) inoculum size at 30 °C and 150 rpm after 54 h of cultivation. The biosurfactant obtained by extraction with ethyl acetate showed high surface tension reduction (25.5 mN/m), a small CMC value (8 mg/l), thermal and pH stability with respect to surface tension reduction and emulsification activity and a high level of salt tolerance. The biosurfactant obtained was confirmed as a lipopeptide by using a biochemical test, FT-IR, MNR and mass spectrometry. The crude biosurfactant showed a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and also had the ability to emulsify oil and enhance PAHs solubility.

Isolation and functional characterization of a biosurfactant produced by a new and promising strain of Oleomonas sagaranensis AT18

Biosurfactant-producing bacteria were isolated from mangrove sediment in southern Thailand. Isolates were screened for biosurfactant production by using the surface tension test. The highest reduction of surface tension was achieved with a bacterial strain which was identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Oleomonas sagaranensis AT18. It has also been investigated using different carbon and nitrogen sources. It showed that the strain was able to grow and reduce the surface tension of the culture supernatant to 25 mN/m. In all 5.30 g of biosurfactant yield was obtained after 54 h of cultivation by using molasses and NaNO₃ as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. The biosurfactant recovery by chloroform:methanol extraction showed a small critical micelle concentration value (8 mg/l), thermal and pH stability with respect to surface tension reduction. It also showed emulsification activity and a high level of salt concentration. The biosurfactant obtained was confirmed as a glycolipid by using a biochemical test, FT-IR and mass spectra. The crude biosurfactant showed a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and also had the ability to emulsify oil and enhance PAHs solubility.

Biosurfactants production by yeasts using soybean oil and glycerol as low cost substrate

Biosurfactants are bioactive agents that can be produced by many different microorganisms. Among those, special attention is given to yeasts, since they can produce many types of biosurfactants in large scale, using several kinds of substrates, justifying its use for industrial production of those products. For this production to be economically viable, the use of residual carbon sources is recommended. The present study isolated yeasts from soil contaminated with petroleum oil hydrocarbons and assessed their capacity for producing biosurfactants in low cost substrates. From a microbial consortium enriched, seven yeasts were isolated, all showing potential for producing biosurfactants in soybean oil. The isolate LBPF 3, characterized as Candida antarctica, obtained the highest levels of production - with a final production of 13.86 g/L. The isolate LBPF 9, using glycerol carbon source, obtained the highest reduction in surface tension in the growth medium: approximately 43% of reduction after 24 hours of incubation. The products obtained by the isolates presented surfactant activity, which reduced water surface tension to values that varied from 34 mN/m, obtained from the product of isolates LBPF 3 and 16 LBPF 7 (respectively characterized as Candida antarctica and Candida albicans) to 43 mN/m from the isolate LPPF 9, using glycerol as substrate. The assessed isolates all showed potential for the production of biosurfactants in conventional sources of carbon as well as in agroindustrial residue, especially in glycerol.

Biosurfactants production by yeasts using soybean oil and glycerol as low cost substrate

Biosurfactants are bioactive agents that can be produced by many different microorganisms. Among those, special attention is given to yeasts, since they can produce many types of biosurfactants in large scale, using several kinds of substrates, justifying its use for industrial production of those products. For this production to be economically viable, the use of residual carbon sources is recommended. The present study isolated yeasts from soil contaminated with petroleum oil hydrocarbons and assessed their capacity for producing biosurfactants in low cost substrates. From a microbial consortium enriched, seven yeasts were isolated, all showing potential for producing biosurfactants in soybean oil. The isolate LBPF 3, characterized as Candida antarctica, obtained the highest levels of production - with a final production of 13.86 g/L. The isolate LBPF 9, using glycerol carbon source, obtained the highest reduction in surface tension in the growth medium: approximately 43% of reduction after 24 hours of incubation. The products obtained by the isolates presented surfactant activity, which reduced water surface tension to values that varied from 34 mN/m, obtained from the product of isolates LBPF 3 and 16 LBPF 7 (respectively characterized as Candida antarctica and Candida albicans) to 43 mN/m from the isolate LPPF 9, using glycerol as substrate. The assessed isolates all showed potential for the production of biosurfactants in conventional sources of carbon as well as in agroindustrial residue, especially in glycerol.

Optimal glucose and inoculum concentrations for production of bioactive molecules by Paenibacillus polymyxa RNC-D

AbstractThe production of antimicrobial metabolites by Paenibacillus polymyxa RNC-D was assessed. Two process variables, glucose and inoculum concentrations, were evaluated at different levels (5–40 g L−1, and at φ r = 2.5–5.0 %, respectively), and their effects on biomass formation, minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Escherichia coli, and surface tension reduction (STR) were studied. When the fermentation process was carried out under non-optimised conditions, the biomass, MIC, and STR achieved the following values: 0.6 g L−1, 1 g L−1, and 18.4 mN m−1, respectively. The optimum glucose (16 g L−1) and inoculum volume ratio (φ r = 5.0 %) were defined in order to maximise the biomass formation, with a low value of MIC and high STR of extract. The experiments carried out under optimal conditions showed the following values for the dependent variables: biomass concentration 2.05 g L−1, MIC 31.2 μg mL−1, and STR 10.7 mN m−1, which represented improvement of 241.7 %, 96.9 %, and 41.9 % for the responses of biomass, MIC, and STR, respectively. This is the first recorded study on the optimisation of culture conditions for the production of antimicrobial metabolites of P. polymyxa RNC-D, and constitutes an important step in the development of strategies to modulate the production of antimicrobial molecules by this microorganism at elevated levels.

Characterization of a novel biosurfactant produced by Staphylococcus sp. strain 1E with potential application on hydrocarbon bioremediation

A biosurfactant-producing bacterium (Staphylococcus sp. strain 1E) was isolated from an Algerian crude oil contaminated soil. Biosurfactant production was tested with different carbon sources using the surface tension measurement and the oil displacement test. Olive oil produced the highest reduction in surface tension (25.9 dynes cm(-1)). Crude oil presented the best substrate for 1E biosurfactant emulsification activity. The biosurfactant produced by strain 1E reduced the growth medium surface tension below 30 dynes cm(-1). This reduction was also obtained in cell-free filtrates. Biosurfactant produced by strain 1E showed stability in a wide range of pH (from 2 to 12), temperature (from 4 to 55 °C) and salinity (from 0 to 300 g l(-1)) variations. The biosurfactant produced by strain 1E belonged to lipopeptide group and also constituted an antibacterial activity againt the pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus subtilis. Phenanthrene solubility in water was enhanced by biosurfactant addition. Our results suggest that the 1E biosurfactant has interesting properties for its application in bioremediation of hydrocarbons contaminated sites.

Evaluation of Cashew Apple Juice for Surfactin Production by Bacillus subtilis LAMI008

Bacillus subtilis LAMI008 strain isolated from the tank of Chlorination at the Wastewater Treatment Plant on Campus do Pici in Federal University of Ceará, Brazil has been screened for surfactin production in mineral medium containing clarified cashew apple juice (MM-CAJC). Results were compared with the ones obtained using mineral medium with glucose PA as carbon source. The influence on growth and surfactin production of culture medium supplementation with yeast extract was also studied. The substrate concentration analysis indicated that B. subtilis LAMI008 was able to degrade all carbon sources studied and produce biosurfactant. The highest reduction in surface tension was achieved with the fermentation of MM-CAJC, supplemented with yeast extract, which decreased from 58.95 +/- 0.10 to 38.10 +/- 0.81 dyn cm(-1). The biosurfactant produced was capable of emulsifying kerosene, achieving an emulsification index of 65%. Surfactin concentration of 3.5 mg L(-1) was obtained when MM-CAJC, supplemented with yeast extract, was used, thus indicating that it is feasible to produce surfactin from clarified cashew apple juice, a renewable and low-cost carbon source.

Isolation and characterization of a biosurfactant producing strain, Brevibacilis brevis HOB1

Biosurfactant-producing bacteria were isolated from the production water of an oil field. Isolates were screened for biosurfactant production using surface tension test. The highest reduction of surface tension was achieved with a bacterial strain which was identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Brevibacilis brevis HOB1. It has been investigated using different carbon and nitrogen sources. It showed that the strain was able to grow and reduce the surface tension of the broth to 29 mN/m on commercial sugar and maltose, and to 32 mN/m on glucose after 72 h of growth. The maximum amount of biosurfactant was obtained when nitrate ions were supplied as nitrogen source. Biosurfactant produced by Brevibacilis brevis HOB1 was confirmed as a lipopeptide class of biosurfactant using TLC test and mass spectra. Lipopeptide isoforms were isolated from cell-free supernatants by acid-precipitation followed by one step of chromatographic separation on solid-phase ODS C18 column. The separation was confirmed by HPLC and ESI Q-TOF MS spectroscopy. Comparing the mass data obtained and the mass numbers reported for the lipopeptide complexes from other strains, it can be concluded that the major lipopeptide product of Brevibacilis brevis HOB1 is the surfactin isoform. This lipopeptide showed strong antibacterial and antifungal activity. It is a candidate for the biocontrol of pathogens in agriculture and other industries.

Optimizing carbon/nitrogen ratio for biosurfactant production by a Bacillus subtilis strain

A Bacillus subtilis strain isolated from contaminated soil from a refinery has been screened for biosurfactant production in crystal sugar (sucrose) with different nitrogen sources (NaNO(3), (NH(4))(2)SO(4), urea, and residual brewery yeast). The highest reduction in surface tension was achieved with a 48-h fermentation of crystal sugar and ammonium nitrate. Optimization of carbon/nitrogen ratio (3, 9, and 15) and agitation rate (50, 150, and 250 rpm) for biosurfactant production was carried out using complete factorial design and response surface analysis. The condition of C/N 3 and 250 rpm allowed the maximum increase in surface activity of biosurfactant. A suitable model has been developed, having presented great accordance experimental data. Preliminary characterization of the bioproduct suggested it to be a lipopeptide with some isomers differing from those of a commercial surfactin.

Characterization of selected actinomycetes degrading polyaromatic hydrocarbons in liquid culture and spiked soil

Five strains of the Rhodococcus and Gordonia genera were evaluated for their potential use in bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) with or without another substrate (co-substrate). Their ability to produce biosurfactants or to degrade phenanthrene when growing on glucose, hexadecane and rapeseed oil was tested in liquid medium at 30 °C. All strains showed biosurfactant activity. The highest reduction in surface tension was recorded in whole cultures of Rhodococcus sp. DSM 44126 (23.1%) and R. erythropolis DSM 1069 (21.1%) grown on hexadecane and Gordonia sp. APB (20.4%) and R. erythropolis TA57 (18.2%) grown on rapeseed oil. Cultures of Gordonia sp. APB and G. rubripertincta formed emulsions when grown on rapeseed oil. After 14 days of incubation, Rhodococcus sp. DSM 44126 degraded phenanthrene (initial concentration 100 μg ml−1) as sole carbon source (79.4%) and in the presence of hexadecane (80.6%), rapeseed oil (96.8%) and glucose (below the limit of detection). The other strains degraded less than 20%, and then with a co-substrate only. Rhodococcus sp. DSM 44126 was selected and its performance evaluated in soil spiked with a mixture of PAH (200 mg kg−1). The effect of the addition of 0, 0.1 and 1% rapeseed oil as co-substrate was also tested. Inoculation enhanced the degradation of phenanthrene (55.7% and 95.2% with 0.1% oil and without oil respectively) and of anthracene (29.2% with 0.1% oil). Approximately 96% of anthracene and 62% of benzo(a)pyrene disappeared from the soil (inoculated and control) after 14 days and anthraquinone was detected as a metabolite. Rhodococcus sp. DSM 44126 was identified as Rhodococcus wratislaviensis by 16S rRNA sequencing and was able to degrade anthracene as sole carbon source in liquid culture.

Anthracene biodegradation by Pseudomonas sp. isolated from a petrochemical sludge landfarming site

Abstract Anthracene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) that presents a high pollution potential and health risk and has been used as a model for degradation studies on PAHs because of its relative toxicity. This study aimed to evaluate anthracene degradation by Pseudomonas sp. isolated from a 14-year-old petrochemical sludge landfarming site. Three isolates were selected from 26 by the best growth in anthracene and two of them were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Ps. aeruginosa and Ps. citronellolis . They showed better growth at pH 7.0 and 30 °C in medium containing up to 2 g anthracene L −1 . They were also able to grow in medium containing phenanthrene, pyrene, gasoline and diesel oil. Analysis of anthracene degradation estimated by gas chromatography showed that Ps. aeruginosa isolate 312A had the highest rate of degradation (3.90 mg L −1 day −1 ), degrading 71% of the anthracene added to the medium (250 mg L −1 ) after 48 days. Ps. citronellolis 222A showed an intermediate level of degradation (51%), but Ps. aeruginosa 332C degraded only 24.4%. Isolate 312A was also responsible for the highest phenanthrene and pyrene degradation after 48 days. In order to establish the mechanisms involved in the PAH degradation, surfactant production by the isolates was assessed by an emulsification index and reduction of the surface tension in the mineral medium free of cells. Emulsification was not detected, indicating that the isolates did not produce high molecular weight surfactant, although reduction in surface tension indicated production of low molecular weight surfactant compounds. The medium containing Ps. citronellolis 222A showed the highest reduction in surface tension, which could increase anthracene bioavailability for biodegradation. To our knowledge, this is the first report concerning increase of anthracene degradation by surfactants produced by Ps. citronellolis . However, the highest degradation rate shown by Ps. aeruginosa 312A was not related to surfactant production, indicating that some other mechanism could be involved in anthracene degradation. The Pseudomonas isolates may be useful for the study of PAH degradation and for bioremediation purposes.

Diversity of biosurfactant producing microorganisms isolated from soils contaminated with diesel oil

Biosurfactant production is a desirable property of hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms (HDM). We characterized biosurfactant producing microbial populations from a Long Beach soil, California (USA) and a Hong Kong soil (China), contaminated with diesel oil. A total of 33 hydrocarbon-utilizing microorganisms were isolated from the soils. Twelve isolates and three defined consortia were tested for biosurfactant production and emulsification activity. The highest reduction of surface tension was achieved with a consortium of L1, L2 and L3 isolates from a Long Beach soil (41.4mN m(-1)). Isolate L1 (Acinetobacter junii) displayed the highest reduction of surface tension (46.5 mN m(-1)). The emulsifying capacity evaluated by the E24 emulsification index was highest in the culture of isolate L5 (74%). No substantial emulsification was achieved with the cell-free extracts, indicating that the emulsifying activity was not extracellular. Based on surface tension and the E24 index results, isolates F1, F2, F3, F4, L1, L2, L3 and L4 were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Bacillus cereus, Bacillus sphaericus, B. fusiformis, Acinetobacter junii, a non-cultured bacterium, Pseudomonas sp. and B. pumilus, respectively. Cluster analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences of the bacterial isolates revealed 70% similarity amongst hydrocarbon-degrading bacterial community present in both soils. Five isolates (isolates F1, F2, F3, F4 and L4) belong to the Firmicutes order, two isolates (L1 and L3) belong to the Proteobacteria order and one isolate (L2) is an Actinomyces sp. Simpson's index (1 - D) and the Shannon-Weaver index (H) revealed more diversity of HDM in the Hong Kong soil, while evenness (E) and the equitability (J) data indicated that there was not a dominant population. Bacterial isolates displaying substantial potential for production of biosurfactants can be applied in the bioremediation of soils contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons.