Characterization and Properties of the Biosurfactant Produced by Pantoea Sp. for Application in the Petroleum Industry
The increase in environmental awareness and strict legislation has made the ecological compatibility of surfactants an essential factor in their application for various uses. Among natural surfactants, ones of microbial origin, so-called biosurfactants, have gained attention because of their biodegr...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
AIDIC Servizi S.r.l.
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Chemical Engineering Transactions |
| Online Access: | https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/15296 |
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| Summary: | The increase in environmental awareness and strict legislation has made the ecological compatibility of surfactants an essential factor in their application for various uses. Among natural surfactants, ones of microbial origin, so-called biosurfactants, have gained attention because of their biodegradability, low toxicity, ecological acceptability, and ability to be produced from renewable and less expensive substrates. Thus, the potential of an alkaliphilic bacterium Pantoea sp. to utilize a low-cost medium supplemented with vegetable fatty (25%), corn steep liquor (5%), and pineapple peels broth (2%) for biosurfactant production was evaluated. The kinetics of microorganism growth and biosurfactant production was carried out in a 5-L bioreactor at 30°C for 72 hours under 350 rpm and oxygenation at 0.5 vvm. The biosurfactant produced exhibited significantly low viscosity and a maximum reduction in surface tension of 30.0 mN/m. The biosurfactant production was detected at 36 hours, and the isolated biosurfactant corresponded to a concentration of 1.25 g/L after 60 hours of fermentation. A CMC of 1.0 g/L and a surface tension of 30 mN/m were obtained. The chemical characterization of the biosurfactant suggested its glycolipidic nature. The biosurfactant did not show toxicity against the microcrustacean Artemia salina and the cabbage (Brassica oleracea). Higher yield with cheaper raw materials, noteworthy stress tolerance of biosurfactant toward pH and salt, and nontoxic effects against marine and terrestrial indicators revealed its potential for application in bioremediation, as the removal of hydrocarbons (petroleum, diesel, kerosene, and motor oil) adsorbed in sand reached values higher than 87%. |
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| ISSN: | 2283-9216 |