Microbial transformation of sewage sludge to biolipid-based fuel using potential oleaginous bacteria Streptomyces sp.

IntroductionThe high proportion of sludge generation worldwide has sparked interest in utilizing it for alternative purposes. Among different potential applications, using sludge as a substrate for oleaginous bacteria is a relatively novel approach. The study was conducted to harness Streptomyces sp...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Sana Akbar, Muzammil Anjum, Samia Qadeer, Rab Nawaz, Zepeng Rao, Habib Ullah, Abdulaziz Alamri, Mohamed A. El-Tayeb
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Microbiology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1551264/full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850136388600594432
author Sana Akbar
Muzammil Anjum
Samia Qadeer
Rab Nawaz
Zepeng Rao
Zepeng Rao
Habib Ullah
Abdulaziz Alamri
Mohamed A. El-Tayeb
author_facet Sana Akbar
Muzammil Anjum
Samia Qadeer
Rab Nawaz
Zepeng Rao
Zepeng Rao
Habib Ullah
Abdulaziz Alamri
Mohamed A. El-Tayeb
author_sort Sana Akbar
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionThe high proportion of sludge generation worldwide has sparked interest in utilizing it for alternative purposes. Among different potential applications, using sludge as a substrate for oleaginous bacteria is a relatively novel approach. The study was conducted to harness Streptomyces sp. to produce bio-lipids and their further processing for biofuel through transesterification.MethodsSewage sludge was obtained from the I-9 treatment plant, Islamabad; after initial characterization the unprocessed sludge was optimized viz.: incubation time (24–96 h), inoculation rate (5–15%), pH levels (4–9), temperature (25–40°C), agitation (0–250 RPM), nitrogen sources (yeast, urea, ammonium chloride, and ammonium nitrate), and carbon sources (glucose, sucrose, starch, and dextrose). The qualitative analysis of the stored bio-lipids was performed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS).Results and discussionThe maximum reactor performance was achieved with 40% lipid accumulation (gravimetric basis) in the dry cell biomass of Streptomyces sp. The results indicated the presence of C-H (Alkane), with additional phenolic and alcoholic bonds through FTIR, whereas the GC–MS results indicated the presence of palmitic acid and oleic acid as the most recurring compounds. This highlights the strong potential of Streptomyces sp. for biolipid based fuel production using sludge as a substrate. The contents of the extract (i.e., bio-lipids) were successfully transesterified to produce biofuels from the stored lipids. The findings indicated that the use of Streptomyces sp. potentially provides a dual benefit of reducing organic loading from the sludge along with biofuel production under optimized reactor conditions.
format Article
id doaj-art-2c67149b4d334ffb8a223051c2045f5b
institution OA Journals
issn 1664-302X
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Microbiology
spelling doaj-art-2c67149b4d334ffb8a223051c2045f5b2025-08-20T02:31:09ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2025-05-011610.3389/fmicb.2025.15512641551264Microbial transformation of sewage sludge to biolipid-based fuel using potential oleaginous bacteria Streptomyces sp.Sana Akbar0Muzammil Anjum1Samia Qadeer2Rab Nawaz3Zepeng Rao4Zepeng Rao5Habib Ullah6Abdulaziz Alamri7Mohamed A. El-Tayeb8Department of Environmental Sciences, Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, PakistanDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, PakistanDepartment of Environmental Sciences, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad, PakistanDepartment of Earth Sciences and Environment, Faculty of Science and Technology, University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi, MalaysiaInnovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, ChinaDepartment of Environmental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, ChinaInnovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang, ChinaDepartment of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaIntroductionThe high proportion of sludge generation worldwide has sparked interest in utilizing it for alternative purposes. Among different potential applications, using sludge as a substrate for oleaginous bacteria is a relatively novel approach. The study was conducted to harness Streptomyces sp. to produce bio-lipids and their further processing for biofuel through transesterification.MethodsSewage sludge was obtained from the I-9 treatment plant, Islamabad; after initial characterization the unprocessed sludge was optimized viz.: incubation time (24–96 h), inoculation rate (5–15%), pH levels (4–9), temperature (25–40°C), agitation (0–250 RPM), nitrogen sources (yeast, urea, ammonium chloride, and ammonium nitrate), and carbon sources (glucose, sucrose, starch, and dextrose). The qualitative analysis of the stored bio-lipids was performed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS).Results and discussionThe maximum reactor performance was achieved with 40% lipid accumulation (gravimetric basis) in the dry cell biomass of Streptomyces sp. The results indicated the presence of C-H (Alkane), with additional phenolic and alcoholic bonds through FTIR, whereas the GC–MS results indicated the presence of palmitic acid and oleic acid as the most recurring compounds. This highlights the strong potential of Streptomyces sp. for biolipid based fuel production using sludge as a substrate. The contents of the extract (i.e., bio-lipids) were successfully transesterified to produce biofuels from the stored lipids. The findings indicated that the use of Streptomyces sp. potentially provides a dual benefit of reducing organic loading from the sludge along with biofuel production under optimized reactor conditions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1551264/fullbiodegradationoleaginous bacteriaStreptomyces sp.sludgetransesterificationbiolipid
spellingShingle Sana Akbar
Muzammil Anjum
Samia Qadeer
Rab Nawaz
Zepeng Rao
Zepeng Rao
Habib Ullah
Abdulaziz Alamri
Mohamed A. El-Tayeb
Microbial transformation of sewage sludge to biolipid-based fuel using potential oleaginous bacteria Streptomyces sp.
Frontiers in Microbiology
biodegradation
oleaginous bacteria
Streptomyces sp.
sludge
transesterification
biolipid
title Microbial transformation of sewage sludge to biolipid-based fuel using potential oleaginous bacteria Streptomyces sp.
title_full Microbial transformation of sewage sludge to biolipid-based fuel using potential oleaginous bacteria Streptomyces sp.
title_fullStr Microbial transformation of sewage sludge to biolipid-based fuel using potential oleaginous bacteria Streptomyces sp.
title_full_unstemmed Microbial transformation of sewage sludge to biolipid-based fuel using potential oleaginous bacteria Streptomyces sp.
title_short Microbial transformation of sewage sludge to biolipid-based fuel using potential oleaginous bacteria Streptomyces sp.
title_sort microbial transformation of sewage sludge to biolipid based fuel using potential oleaginous bacteria streptomyces sp
topic biodegradation
oleaginous bacteria
Streptomyces sp.
sludge
transesterification
biolipid
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1551264/full
work_keys_str_mv AT sanaakbar microbialtransformationofsewagesludgetobiolipidbasedfuelusingpotentialoleaginousbacteriastreptomycessp
AT muzammilanjum microbialtransformationofsewagesludgetobiolipidbasedfuelusingpotentialoleaginousbacteriastreptomycessp
AT samiaqadeer microbialtransformationofsewagesludgetobiolipidbasedfuelusingpotentialoleaginousbacteriastreptomycessp
AT rabnawaz microbialtransformationofsewagesludgetobiolipidbasedfuelusingpotentialoleaginousbacteriastreptomycessp
AT zepengrao microbialtransformationofsewagesludgetobiolipidbasedfuelusingpotentialoleaginousbacteriastreptomycessp
AT zepengrao microbialtransformationofsewagesludgetobiolipidbasedfuelusingpotentialoleaginousbacteriastreptomycessp
AT habibullah microbialtransformationofsewagesludgetobiolipidbasedfuelusingpotentialoleaginousbacteriastreptomycessp
AT abdulazizalamri microbialtransformationofsewagesludgetobiolipidbasedfuelusingpotentialoleaginousbacteriastreptomycessp
AT mohamedaeltayeb microbialtransformationofsewagesludgetobiolipidbasedfuelusingpotentialoleaginousbacteriastreptomycessp