Microbial Surfactants: The Next Generation Multifunctional Biomolecules for Applications in the Petroleum Industry and Its Associated Environmental Remediation

Microbial communities in petroleum refinery effluents and their complex functions

Petroleum refinery effluents (PRE) are a significant cause of pollution. It contains toxic compounds such as total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), as well as heavy metals. They show a huge threat facing the aquaculture habitats, human health, and the environment if they are not treated before discharging into the environment. Physical and chemical procedures are used to treat hydrocarbon pollution in PRE, but these techniques often result in the formation of hazardous by-products during the remediation process. However, PRE contains various microbial communities, including bacteria, yeast, microalgae, and fungi. The bioremediation and biodegradation of oil contaminants are the primary functions of these microbial communities. However, these microorganisms can perform various additional functions including but not limited to heavy metals removal, production of biosurfactants, and nitrogen fixation. This review contributes to the comprehension of natural microbial communities and their complex functions in petroleum refinery effluents. Understanding microbial communities would facilitate the advancement of innovative biotechnology aimed at treating PRE, improving bioremediation processes, and potentially transforming PRE into valuable bio-products. Moreover, it assists in determining the most effective bioaugmentation strategy to enhance biodegradation and bioremediation in PRE. The review highlights the potential for sustainable green approaches using microbial communities to replace toxic chemical therapies and expensive physical treatments in the future.

The essential role of aggregation for the emulsifying ability of a fungal CYS-rich protein

Biosurfactants are in demand by the global market as natural commodities suitable for incorporation into commercial products or utilization in environmental applications. Fungi are promising producers of these molecules and have garnered interest also for their metabolic capabilities in efficiently utilizing recalcitrant and complex substrates, like hydrocarbons, plastic, etc. Within this framework, biosurfactants produced by two Fusarium solani fungal strains, isolated from plastic waste-contaminated landfill soils, were analyzed. Mycelia of these fungi were grown in the presence of 5% olive oil to drive biosurfactant production. The characterization of the emulsifying and surfactant capacity of these extracts highlighted that two different components are involved. A protein was purified and identified as a CFEM (common in fungal extracellular membrane) containing domain, revealing a good propensity to stabilize emulsions only in its aggregate form. On the other hand, an unidentified cationic smaller molecule exhibits the ability to reduce surface tension. Based on the 3D structural model of the protein, a plausible mechanism for the formation of very stable aggregates, endowed with the emulsifying ability, is proposed. KEY POINTS: • Two Fusarium solani strains are analyzed for their surfactant production. • A cationic surfactant is produced, exhibiting the ability to remarkably reduce surface tension. • An identified protein reveals a good propensity to stabilize emulsions only in its aggregate form.

Advances in stabilization of metallic nanoparticle with biosurfactants- a review on current trends

Recently, research based on new biomaterials for stabilizing metallic nanoparticles has increased due to their greater environmental friendliness and lower health risk. Their stability is often a critical factor influencing their performance and shelf life. Nowadays, the use of biosurfactants is gaining interest due to their sustainable advantages. Biosurfactants are used for various commercial and industrial applications such as food processing, therapeutic applications, agriculture, etc. Biosurfactants create stable coatings surrounding nanoparticles to stop agglomeration and provide long-term stability. The present review study describes a collection of important scientific works on stabilization and capping of metallic nanoparticles as biosurfactants. This review also provides a comprehensive overview of the intrinsic properties and environmental aspects of metal nanoparticles coated with biosurfactants. In addition, future methods and potential solutions for biosurfactant-mediated stabilization in nanoparticle synthesis are also highlighted. The objective of this study is to ensure that the stabilized nanoparticles exhibit biocompatible properties, making them suitable for applications in medicine and biotechnology.

Production, characterization and biomedical potential of biosurfactants produced by haloalkaliphilic archaea from Wadi El-Natrun, Egypt

Extreme halophilic archaea that can live in high saline environments can offer potential applications in different biotechnological fields. This study delves into the fascinating field of halophilic archaea and their ability to produce biosurfactants. Some strains of haloarchaea were isolated from Wadi El-Natrun and were screened for biosurfactants production in a standard basal medium using emulsification index assay. Two strains were chosen as the potential strains for surface tension reduction. They were identified as Natrialba sp. BG1 and N3. The biosurfactants production was optimized and the produced emulsifiers were partially purified and identified using FTIR and NMR. Sequential statistical optimization, Plackett-Burman (PB) and Box-Behnken Designs (BBD) were carried out using 5 factors: oil, NaCl, casamino acids, pH, and inoculum size. The most significant factors were used for the next Response Surface Methodology experiment. The final optimal conditions for biosurfactants production were the inoculum size 2% pH 11 and NaCl 250 g/L, for Natrialba sp. BG1 and inoculum size 2.2%, pH 10 and NaCl 100 g/L for Natrialba sp. N3. The produced biosurfactants were tested for wound healing and the results indicated that Natrialba sp. BG1 biosurfactants is more efficient than Natrialba sp. N3 biosurfactants. Biosurfactants extracts were tested for their cytotoxic effects on normal cell line as well as on different cancer cells using MTT assay. The findings demonstrated that varying concentrations of the biosurfactants (31.25, 62.5, 125, 250, 500 and 1000 µg/mL) exhibited cytotoxic effects on the cell lines being tested. Additionally, the outcomes unveiled the presence of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties for both biosurfactants. Consequently, they could potentially serve as natural, safe, and efficient novel agents for combating cancer, promoting wound healing, and providing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.

Integrated approach of nano assisted biodegradation of anthracene by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and iron oxide nanoparticles

Poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are considered as hazardous compounds which causes serious threat to the environment dua to their more carcinogenic and mutagenic impacts. In this study, Pseudomonas aeruginosa PP4 strain and synthesized iron nanoparticles were used to evaluate the biodegradation efficiency (BE %) of residual anthracene. The BE (%) of mixed degradation system (Anthracene + PP4+ FeNPs) was obtained about 67 %. The FTIR spectra result revealed the presence of functional groups (C-H, -CH3, CC, =C-H) in the residual anthracene. The FESEM and TEM techniques were used to determine the surface analysis of the synthesized FeNPs and the average size was observed by TEM around 5-50 nm. The crystalline nature of the synthesized iron nanoparticles was confirmed by the observed different respective peaks of XRD pattern. The various functional constituents (OH, C-H, amide I, CH3) were identified in the synthesized iron nanoparticles by FTIR spectrum. In conclusion, this integrated nano-bioremediation approach could be an promising and effective way for many environmental fields like cleanup of hydrocarbon rich environment.

Lipopeptides from Bacillus: unveiling biotechnological prospects-sources, properties, and diverse applications

Bacillus sp. has proven to be a goldmine of diverse bioactive lipopeptides, finding wide-range of industrial applications. This review highlights the importance of three major families of lipopeptides (iturin, fengycin, and surfactin) produced by Bacillus sp. and their diverse activities against plant pathogens. This review also emphasizes the role of non-ribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPS) as significant enzymes responsible for synthesizing these lipopeptides, contributing to their peptide diversity. Literature showed that these lipopeptides exhibit potent antifungal activity against various plant pathogens and highlight their specific mechanisms, such as siderophore activity, pore-forming properties, biofilm inhibition, and dislodging activity. The novelty of this review comes from its comprehensive coverage of Bacillus sp. lipopeptides, their production, classification, mechanisms of action, and potential applications in plant protection. It also emphasizes the importance of ongoing research for developing new and enhanced antimicrobial agents. Furthermore, this review article highlights the need for future research to improve the production efficiency of these lipopeptides for commercial applications. It recognizes the potential for these lipopeptides to expand the field of biological pest management for both existing and emerging plant diseases.

Microbes-assisted phytoremediation of lead and petroleum hydrocarbons contaminated water by water hyacinth

An experiment was carried out to explore the impact of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHs)-degrading microbial consortium (MC) on phytoremediation ability and growth of water hyacinth (WH) plants in water contaminated with lead (Pb) and PHs. Buckets (12-L capacity) were filled with water and WH plants, PHs (2,400 mg L-1) and Pb (10 mg L-1) in respective buckets. Plants were harvested after 30 days of transplanting and results showed that PHs and Pb substantially reduced the agronomic (up to 62%) and physiological (up to 49%) attributes of WH plants. However, the application of MC resulted in a substantial increase in growth (38%) and physiology (22%) of WH plants over uninoculated contaminated control. The WH + MC were able to accumulate 93% Pb and degrade/accumulate 72% of PHs as compared to initial concentration. Furthermore, combined use of WH plants and MC in co-contamination of PHs and Pb, reduced Pb and PHs contents in water by 74% and 68%, respectively, than that of initially applied concentration. Our findings suggest that the WH in combination with PHs-degrading MC could be a suitable nature-based water remediation technology for organic and inorganic contaminants and in future it can be used for decontamination of mix pollutants from water bodies.

Biotechnological potential of microbial bio-surfactants, their significance, and diverse applications

Globally, there is a huge demand for chemically available surfactants in many industries, irrespective of their detrimental impact on the environment. Naturally occurring green sustainable substances have been proven to be the best alternative for reducing reliance on chemical surfactants and promoting long-lasting sustainable development. The most frequently utilized green active biosurfactants, which are made by bacteria, yeast, and fungi, are discussed in this review. These biosurfactants are commonly originated from contaminated sites, the marine ecosystem, and the natural environment, and it holds great potential for environmental sustainability. In this review, we described the importance of biosurfactants for the environment, including their biodegradability, low toxicity, environmental compatibility, and stability at a wide pH range. In this review, we have also described the various techniques that have been utilized to characterize and screen the generation of microbial biosurfactants. Also, we reviewed the potential of biosurfactants and its emerging applications in the foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and agricultural industries. In addition, we also discussed the ways to overcome problems with expensive costs such as low-cost substrate media formulation, gravitational techniques, and solvent-free foam fractionation for extraction that could be employed during biosurfactant production on a larger scale.

Medium-chain alkane biodegradation and its link to some unifying attributes of alkB genes diversity

Hydrocarbon footprints in the environment, via biosynthesis, natural seepage, anthropogenic activities and accidents, affect the ecosystem and induce a shift in the healthy biogeochemical equilibrium that drives needed ecological services. In addition, these imbalances cause human diseases and reduce animal and microorganism diversity. Microbial bioremediation, which capitalizes on functional genes, is a sustainable mitigation option for cleaning hydrocarbon-impacted environments. This review focuses on the bacterial alkB functional gene, which codes for a non-heme di‑iron monooxygenase (AlkB) with a di‑iron active site that catalyzes C₈-C₁₆ medium-chain alkane metabolism. These enzymes are ubiquitous and share common attributes such as being controlled by global transcriptional regulators, being a component of most super hydrocarbon degraders, and their distributions linked to horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events. The phylogenetic approach used in the HGT detection suggests that AlkB tree topology clusters bacteria functionally and that a preferential gradient dictates gene distribution. The alkB gene also acts as a biomarker for bioremediation, although it is found in pristine environments and absent in some hydrocarbon degraders. For instance, a quantitative molecular method has failed to link alkB copy number to contamination concentration levels. This limitation may be due to AlkB homologues, which have other functions besides n-alkane assimilation. Thus, this review, which focuses on Pseudomonas putida GPo1 alkB, shows that AlkB proteins are diverse but have some unifying trends around hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria; it is erroneous to rely on alkB detection alone as a monitoring parameter for hydrocarbon degradation, alkB gene distribution are preferentially distributed among bacteria, and the plausible explanation for AlkB affiliation to broad-spectrum metabolism of hydrocarbons in super-degraders hitherto reported. Overall, this review provides a broad perspective of the ecology of alkB-carrying bacteria and their directed biodegradation pathways.

New insights into the bioremediation of petroleum contaminants: A systematic review

Petroleum product is an essential resource for energy, that has been exploited by wide range of industries and regular life. A carbonaceous contamination of marine and terrestrial environments caused by errant runoffs of consequential petroleum-derived contaminants. Additionally, petroleum hydrocarbons can have adverse effects on human health and global ecosystems and also have negative demographic consequences in petroleum industries. Key contaminants of petroleum products, primarily includes aliphatic hydrocarbons, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), resins, and asphaltenes. On environmental interaction, these pollutants result in ecotoxicity as well as human toxicity. Oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, DNA mutations, and protein dysfunction are a few key causative mechanisms behind the toxic impacts. Henceforth, it becomes very evident to have certain remedial strategies which could help on eliminating these xenobiotics from the environment. This brings the efficacious application of bioremediation to remove or degrade pollutants from the ecosystems. In the recent scenario, extensive research and experimentation have been implemented towards bio-benign remediation of these petroleum-based pollutants, aiming to reduce the load of these toxic molecules in the environment. This review gives a detailed overview of petroleum pollutants, and their toxicity. Methods used for degrading them in the environment using microbes, periphytes, phyto-microbial interactions, genetically modified organisms, and nano-microbial remediation. All of these methods could have a significant impact on environmental management.

Sustainable production of bioemulsifiers, a critical overview from microorganisms to promising applications

Microbial bioemulsifiers are molecules of amphiphilic nature and high molecular weight that are efficient in emulsifying two immiscible phases such as water and oil. These molecules are less effective in reducing surface tension and are synthesized by bacteria, yeast and filamentous fungi. Unlike synthetic emulsifiers, microbial bioemulsifiers have unique advantages such as biocompatibility, non-toxicity, biodegradability, efficiency at low concentrations and high selectivity under different conditions of pH, temperature and salinity. The adoption of microbial bioemulsifiers as alternatives to their synthetic counterparts has been growing in ongoing research. This article analyzes the production of microbial-based emulsifiers, the raw materials and fermentation processes used, as well as the scale-up and commercial applications of some of these biomolecules. The current trend of incorporating natural compounds into industrial formulations indicates that the search for new bioemulsifiers will continue to increase, with emphasis on performance improvement and economically viable processes.

Biosurfactant from Candida: sources, classification, and emerging applications

Biosurfactants are surface-active molecules that are synthesized by many microorganisms like fungi, bacteria, and yeast. These molecules are amphiphilic in nature, possessing emulsifying ability, detergency, foaming, and surface-activity like characteristics. Yeast species belongs to the genus Candida has gained globally enormous interest because of the diverse properties of biosurfactants produced by theme. In contrast to synthetic surfactants, biosurfactants are claimed to be biodegradable and non-toxic which labels them as a potent industrial compound. Biosurfactants produced by this genus are reported to possess certain biological activities, such as anticancer and antiviral activities. They also have potential industrial applications in bioremediation, oil recovery, agricultural, pharmaceutical, biomedical, food, and cosmetic industries. Various species of Candida have been recognized as biosurfactant producers, including Candida petrophilum, Candida bogoriensis, Candida antarctica, Candida lipolytica, Candida albicans, Candida batistae, Candida albicans, Candida sphaerica, etc. These species produce various forms of biosurfactants, such as glycolipids, lipopeptides, fatty acids, and polymeric biosurfactants, which are distinct according to their molecular weights. Herein, we provide a detailed overview of various types of biosurfactants produced by Candida sp., process optimization for better production, and the latest updates on the applications of these biosurfactants.

Microbial conversion of agro-processing waste (peanut meal) to rhamnolipid by Pseudomonas aeruginosa: solid-state fermentation, water extraction, medium optimization and potential applications

The high cost and severe foam in rhamnolipid fermentation are still bottlenecks for its industrial production and application. Non-foaming production of rhamnolipid by Pseudomonas aeruginosa FA1 was explored in solid-state fermentation using the agro-processing waste (peanut meal) as low-cost substrate. An environmental-friendly extraction method was developed to harvest rhamnolipid from solid-state culture. Strain FA1 produced 265.4 ± 8.2 mg rhamnolipid using 10 g peanut meal. HPLC-MS results revealed that 7 rhamnolipid homologues were produced, mainly including Rha-C₈-C₁₀ and Rha-Rha-C₁₀-C₁₀. Nitrate was the optimal nitrogen source. Peanut meal, MgSO₄ and CaCl₂ were significant factors for rhamnolipid production in solid-state fermentation. Rhamnolipid production was enhanced 31 % using the solid-state medium optimized by response surface method. The produced rhamnolipid reduced water surface tension to 28.1 ± 0.2 mN/m with a critical micelle concentration of 70 mg/L. The crude oil was emulsified with an emulsification index of 75.56 ± 1.29 %. The growth of tested bacteria and fungi was inhibited.

Genomic Analysis of Surfactant-Producing Bacillus vallismortis TIM68: First Glimpse at Species Pangenome and Prediction of New Plipastatin-Like Lipopeptide

Surfactants are applied in several industrial processes when the modification of interface activity and the stability of colloidal systems are required. Lipopeptides are a class of microbial biosurfactants produced by species of the Bacillus genus. The present study aimed at assembling and analyzing the genome of a new Bacillus vallismortis strain, TIM68, that was shown to produce surfactant lipopeptides. The draft genome was also screened for common virulence factors and antibiotics resistance genes to investigate the strain biosafety. Comparative genomics analyses, i.e., synteny, average nucleotide identity (ANI), and pangenome, were also carried out using strain TIM68 and publicly available B. vallismortis complete and partial genomes. Three peptide synthetase operons were found in TIM68 genome, and they were surfactin A, mojavensin, and a novel plipastatin-like lipopeptide named vallisin. No virulence factors that render pathogenicity to the strain have been identified, but a region of prophage, that may contain unknown pathogenic factors, has been predicted. The pangenome of the species was characterized as closed, with 57% of genes integrating the core genome. The results obtained here on the genetic potential of TIM68 strain should contribute to its exploration in biotechnological applications.

Soil washing of total petroleum and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from crude oil-contaminated ultisol using aqueous extracts of waterleaf

Ultisols are acidic soils found in humid climates and are known for poor fertility. Crude oil impacted ultisols, therefore, require special treatment measures to account for nutrient loss during treatment. In this paper, we report the utilization of a food waste, aqueous extracts of waterleaf (Talinum triangulare), as a plant-derived surfactant to wash simulated crude oil-contaminated soils. The soils before and after washing were monitored for microbial loads, nutrient parameters, physicochemical characteristics, total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Although higher amounts of PAHs (up to 100%) were removed compared to TPHs (up to 95.7%), the results revealed that the efficiency of the waterleaf extracts was comparable to that of a commercial surfactant sodium dodecyl sulphate. However, soils washed with the waterleaf extracts retained some significant amounts of nutrients and favourable pH moderation. In both surfactants, soil microbial loads reduced significantly. Overall, the aqueous waterleaf extracts showed potential as ecofriendly surfactants and nutrients retainer during soil washing of contaminated ultisols.

Characterization of new diesel-degrading bacteria isolated from freshwater sediments

As the result of diesel's extensive production and use as fuel for transportation, pollution with such complex mixtures of hydrocarbons is a major concern worldwide. The present study's focus was to investigate the presence of diesel-degrading bacteria in different Danube Delta freshwater sediments. Ten bacterial strains capable to grow in a minimal medium with diesel as the sole carbon source were isolated and characterized in this study. Based on the phenotypic and molecular characteristics, the ten strains belong to four genera and seven species, such as Pseudomonas (P. aeruginosa, P. nitroreducens, P. resinovorans, P. multiresinivorans), Acinetobacter (A. tandoii), Bacillus (B. marisflavi), and Stenotrophomonas (S. maltophilia). All these bacteria were excellent biosurfactant producers, and they were able to tolerate saturated hydrocarbons, like n-heptane, n-decane, n-pentadecane, and n-hexadecane. The ten strains possess at least one alkane hydroxylase gene in their genome, and they were also able to tolerate and degrade diesel. Higher biodegradation rates of diesel were acquired for the strains from the genera Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Stenotrophomonas, compared with that obtained for the Bacillus strain. Due to their remarkable potential to degrade diesel and produce biosurfactants, the ten isolated bacteria are attractive candidates for bioremediation of diesel-polluted environments.

Sustainable production of biosurfactants via valorisation of industrial wastes as alternate feedstocks

Globally, the rapid increase in the human population has given rise to a variety of industries, which have produced a variety of wastes. Due to their detrimental effects on both human and environmental health, pollutants from industry have taken centre stage among the various types of waste produced. The amount of waste produced has therefore increased the demand for effective waste management. In order to create valuable chemicals for sustainable waste management, trash must be viewed as valuable addition. One of the most environmentally beneficial and sustainable choices is to use garbage to make biosurfactants. The utilization of waste in the production of biosurfactant provides lower processing costs, higher availability of feedstock and environmental friendly product along with its characteristics. The current review focuses on the use of industrial wastes in the creation of sustainable biosurfactants and discusses how biosurfactants are categorized. Waste generation in the fruit industry, agro-based industries, as well as sugar-industry and dairy-based industries is documented. Each waste and wastewater are listed along with its benefits and drawbacks. This review places a strong emphasis on waste management, which has important implications for the bioeconomy. It also offers the most recent scientific literature on industrial waste, including information on the role of renewable feedstock for the production of biosurfactants, as well as the difficulties and unmet research needs in this area.

Production, Characterization, and Application of Biosurfactant From Lactobacillus plantarum OG8 Isolated From Fermenting Maize (Zea Mays) Slurry

Biosurfactants have wide applications in several industries. However, high production costs and safety concerns have limited their comprehensive use. Twenty-five strains of lactic acid bacteria, isolated from fermenting maize slurry, were screened for biosurfactant production using the emulsification activity (E24) assay. The selected bacterium was identified molecularly using the 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Lactobacillus plantarum OG8. The effect of some cultural factors on biosurfactant production from the bacterium, using pineapple peel as a low-cost substrate, was investigated. The optimum yield of biosurfactant occurred at a 48 h incubation period, using glucose and peptone as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. The biosurfactant was characterized to possess mostly carbohydrates, followed by protein and lipid contents. Optima pH 10.0 and temperature 60 °C were the best for the biosurfactant activity. The biosurfactant exhibited antimicrobial activity against bacterial pathogens Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, at a concentration of 5.0 mg/mL. The use of pineapple peel as a low-cost substrate for biosurfactant production from Lactobacillus plantarum OG8 will serve for cost-effective production. The biosurfactantt produced exhibited promising properties such as thermostability and antimicrobial activity against food spoilage and pathogenes that could make it suitable for food processing and preservation.

Characterisation of cytotoxicity and immunomodulatory effects of glycolipid biosurfactants on human keratinocytes

Abstract

Skin irritation and allergic reactions associated with the use of skincare products formulated with synthetically derived surfactants such as sodium lauryl ether sulphate (SLES) have encouraged the search for naturally derived and biocompatible alternatives. Glycolipid biosurfactants such as sophorolipids (SL) and rhamnolipids (RL) offer a potential alternative to SLES. However, most studies on the bioactive properties of microbial glycolipids were determined using their mixed congeners, resulting in significant inter-study variations. This study aims to compare the effects of highly purified SL (acidic and lactonic) and RL (mono-RL and di-RL) congeners and SLES on a spontaneously transformed human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT cells) to assess glycolipids’ safety for potential skincare applications. Preparations of acidic SL congeners were 100% pure, lactonic SL were 100% pure, mono-RL were 96% pure, and di-RL were 97% pure. Cell viability using XTT assays, cell morphological analyses, and immunoassays revealed that microbial glycolipids have differing effects on HaCaT cells dependent on chemical structure. Compared with SLES, acidic SL and mono-RL have negligible effects on cell viability, cell morphology, and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, at non-inhibitory concentrations, di-RL significantly attenuated IL-8 production and CXCL8 expression while increasing IL-1RA production and IL1RN expression in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated HaCaT cells. Although further studies would be required, these results demonstrate that as potential innocuous and bioactive compounds, microbial glycolipids could provide a substitute to synthetic surfactants in skincare formulations and perform immunopharmacological roles in topical skin infections such as psoriasis.

Key points

• Purified glycolipid congeners have differing effects on human keratinocytes.

• Compared with SLES, acidic sophorolipids and mono-rhamnolipids have innocuous effects on keratinocytes.

• Di-rhamnolipids and mono-rhamnolipids modulate cytokine production in lipopolysaccharide stimulated human keratinocytes.

Investigating a microbial approach to water conservation: Effects of Bacillus subtilis and Surfactin on evaporation dynamics in loam and sandy loam soils

Semi-arid regions faced with increasingly scarce freshwater resources must manage competing demands in the food-energy-water nexus. A possible solution modifies soil hydrologic properties using biosurfactants to reduce evaporation and improve water retention. In this study, two different soil textures representative of agricultural soils in Kansas were treated with a direct application of the biosurfactant, Surfactin, and an indirect application via inoculation of Bacillus subtilis. Evaporation rates of the wetted soils were measured when exposed to artificial sunlight (1000 W/m2) and compared to non-treated control soils. Experimental results indicate that both treatments alter soil moisture dynamics by increasing evaporation rates by when soil moisture is plentiful (i.e., constant rate period) and decreasing evaporation rates by when moisture is scarce (i.e., slower rate period). Furthermore, both treatments significantly reduced the soil moisture content at which the soil transitioned from constant rate to slower rate evaporation. Out of the two treatments, inoculation with B. subtilis generally produced greater changes in evaporation dynamics; for example, the treatment with B. subtilis in sandy loam soils increased constant rate periods of evaporation by 43% and decreased slower rate evaporation by 49%. In comparing the two soil textures, the sandy loam soil exhibited a larger treatment effect than the loam soil. To evaluate the potential significance of the treatment effects, a System Dynamics Model operationalized the evaporation rate results and simulated soil moisture dynamics under typical daily precipitation conditions. The results from this model indicate both treatment methods significantly altered soil moisture dynamics in the sandy loam soils and increased the probability of the soil exhibiting constant rate evaporation relative to the control soils. Overall, these findings suggest that the decrease in soil moisture threshold observed in the experimental setting could increase soil moisture availability by prolonging the constant rate stage of evaporation. As inoculation with B. subtilis in the sandy loam soil had the most pronounced effects in both the experimental and simulated contexts, future work should focus on testing this treatment in field trials with similar soil textures.

How to simply and efficiently screen microbial strains capable of anaerobic biosynthesis of biosurfactants: Method establishment, influencing factors and application example evaluation

Microbial resources capable of anaerobic biosynthesis of biosurfactants are increasingly interested for their application in oxygen-deficient environments, such as in-situ microbial enhanced oil recovery and anaerobic bioremediation. How to simply and efficiently screen microbial strains capable of anaerobic biosynthesis of biosurfactants need be further studied in depth. In this study, an efficient and simple screening method was established based on the oil displacement characteristic of biosurfactants combined with the anaerobic culture technology using microplate assays. Strains whose anaerobic culture in microwells can form oil displacement circles with diameters larger than 10 mm were screened for scale-up culture in anaerobic tubes. The screened strains which can reduce the surface tension of anaerobic culture to lower than 45 mN/m were verified as positive strains. Using this screening method, eight positive strains and thirteen positive strains were screened from oil reservoir produced water and oily sludge, respectively. Through phylogenetic analysis, some screened strains were identified as Pseudomonas sp., Bacillus sp., and Enterobacter sp. This study also found that more microbial strains might be isolated after enrichment culture of environmental samples, whereas more microbial species would be isolated without enrichment. Suspension of environmental samples prepared with distilled water or normal saline had no significant effect. The established screening method is highly targeted and efficient for microbial strains capable of anaerobic biosynthesis of biosurfactants. The diameter of oil displacement circle is a reliable screening indicator. This study will contribute to explore more microbial resources which can anaerobically biosynthesize biosurfactants.

Automobile service station waste assessment and promising biological treatment alternatives: a review

Unprecedented growth in the automobile sector has led to an increased number of automobile service stations across all major cities especially in the developing countries. These service stations release huge amounts of waste that contain objectionable levels of oil and grease (O&G) and heavy metals, amongst other environmentally toxic compounds. Not much literature is available on the hazardous nature, public health concerns, and sustainable treatment options of such an industrial waste. This review throws light on the nuisances caused by the automobile industry waste, the various conventional and promising physical-chemical remediation measures adopted, and the scope of bioremediation for the same. Work on the use of microbial enzymes such as lipases and microbial surface-active agents (biosurfactants) as emerging promising candidates for the bioremediation of metals and O&G contaminated automobile service centre wastewater and soil are especially highlighted in this review article. The adoption of constructed wetlands and regular scientific monitoring of service sector are the aspects that would prove to be critical in sustainable and ecological automobile service station waste management. Stricter environment regulations, along with the growing ecological and environmental awareness, call for stringent monitoring of the service station waste and its treatment in an environmentally sustainable manner. This review can effectively aid in revealing potential hazards of this industrial sectors and in policy making for effective environmental monitoring.

Valorization of frying oil waste for biodetergent production using Serratia marcescens N2 and gamma irradiation assisted biorecovery

BACKGROUND

The complexity, toxicity and abundance of frying oil waste (FOW) render it difficult to be degraded biologically. The aim of the present work was to valorize FOW and investigate the potential use of the produced biosurfactant by Serratia marcescens N2 (Whole Genome sequencing accession ID SPSG00000000) as a biodetergent.

RESULTS

Serratia marcescens N2 demonstrated efficient valorization of FOW, using 1% peptone, 20% FOW and 8% inoculum size. Gene annotation showed the presence of serrawettin synthetase indicating that the produced biosurfactant was serrawettin. Zeta potential and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy indicate that the biosurfactant produced was a negatively charged lipopeptide. The biosurfactant reduced the surface tension of water from 72 to 25.7 mN/m; its emulsification index was 90%. The valorization started after 1 h of incubation and reached a maximum of 83.3%. Gamma radiation was used to increase the biosurfactant yield from 9.4 to 19.2 g/L for non-irradiated and 1000 Gy irradiated cultures, respectively. It was noted that the biorecovery took place immediately as opposed to overnight storage required in conventional biosurfactant recovery. Both chemical and functional characteristics of the radiation induced biosurfactant did not change at low doses. The produced biosurfactant was used to wash oil stain; the highest detergency reached was 87% at 60 °C under stirring conditions for 500 Gy gamma assisted biorecovery. Skin irritation tests performed on experimental mice showed no inflammation.

CONCLUSION

This study was able to obtain a skin friendly effective biodetergent from low worth FOW using Serratia marcescens N2 with 83% efficient valorization using only peptone in the growth media unlike previous studies using complex media. Gamma radiation was for the first time experimented to assist biosurfactant recovery and doubling the yield without affecting the efficiency.

The crude oil biodegradation activity of Candida strains isolated from oil-reservoirs soils in Saudi Arabia

Crude oil (petroleum) is a naturally occurring complex composed of hydrocarbon deposits and other organic materials. Bioremediation of crude oil-polluted sites is restricted by the biodiversity of indigenous microflora. They possess complementary substrates required for degrading the different hydrocarbons. In the current study, four yeast strains were isolated from different oil reservoirs in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The oil-biodegradation ability of these isolates showed variable oxidation effects on multiple hydrocarbons. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed morphological changes in Candida isolates compared to the original structures. The drop-collapse and oil emulsification assays showed that yeast strains affected the physical properties of tested hydrocarbons. The content of biosurfactants produced by isolated strains was quantified in the presence of different hydrocarbons to confirm the oil displacement activity. The recovery assays included acid precipitation, solvent extraction, ammonium sulfate, and zinc sulfate precipitation methods. All these methods revealed that the amount of biosurfactants correlates to the type of tested hydrocarbons, where the highest amount was produced in crude oil contaminated samples. In conclusion, the study highlights the importance of Candida isolated from contaminated soils for bioremediation of petroleum oil pollution. That raises the need for further analyses on the microbes/hydrocarbon degradation dynamics.

Bioremediation of Soil from Petroleum Contamination

Petroleum is the most common global fossil fuel. It is a complex multi-component system mainly composed of various hydrocarbons such as alkanes, cycloalkanes, mono-, bi- and polyaromatic compounds, resins and asphaltenes. In spite of humanity’s need for petroleum, it negatively affects the environment due to its toxicity. The ecological problem is especially serious at petroleum mining sites or during petroleum transportation. Since it is not possible to replace petroleum with less toxic fuel, ways to reduce the toxic impact of petroleum hydrocarbons on the environment need to be developed. This review addresses bioremediation, a biological approach to petroleum degradation, which is mainly performed by microbes. The pathways of degradation of alkanes, alkenes and aromatic hydrocarbons are presented in detail. The effects of temperature, aeration and the presence of biogenic elements on microbial degradation of petroleum are discussed. Plant–microbe interactions involved with the bioremediation of petroleum-polluted soils are specifically addressed. The data presented in this review point to the great potential of bioremediation practices for cleaning soils of petroleum.

Production and Characterization of a Bioemulsifier Derived from Microorganisms with Potential Application in the Food Industry

There is a growing interest in the development and use of natural emulsifiers, which provide biodegradability as well as non-toxicity along with giving better performance compared to existing emulsifying agents used in the food industry. A large variety of sources of starting material, i.e., the microorganisms, are available to be used, hence giving a diverse range of applications. The focus of this review paper is on the production of bioemulsifiers, which are said to be "green surfactants", from fungi, bacteria and yeasts; furthermore, an overview pertaining to the knowledge gained over the years in terms of characterization techniques is reported. The methods used for the characterization and isolation such as TLC, GC-MS, HPLC, NMR have also been studied. The end-application products such as cookies, muffins, and doughs along with the methods used for the incorporation of bioemulsifiers, microorganisms from which they are derived, properties imparted to the product with the use of a particular bioemulsifier and comparison with the existing food grade emulsifiers has been discussed in detail. The future prospects indicate that newer bioemulsifiers with anti-microbial, anti-oxidant and stabilization properties will prove to have a larger impact, and emphasis will be on improving the performance at an economically viable methodology.

Petroleum sludge treatment and disposal techniques: a review

Petroleum sludge is a solid emulsified waste and contaminant commonly produced in the petroleum industry. In the recent past, there has been increased business growth in the oil sector, resulting in increased volumes of oily sludge characterized by high viscosity and toxicity. Therefore, sludge treatment before discarding is extremely necessary. This review seeks to highlight various conventional and evolving approaches in the treatment, recovery, and disposal of petroleum sludge and assess their suitability under various conditions.

Achieving “Non-Foaming” Rhamnolipid Production and Productivity Rebounds of Pseudomonas aeruginosa under Weakly Acidic Fermentation

The rhamnolipid production of Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been impeded by its severe foaming; overcoming the bottleneck of foaming has become the most urgent requirement for rhamnolipid production in recent decades. In this study, we performed rhamnolipid fermentation under weakly acidic conditions to address this bottleneck. The results showed that the foaming behavior of rhamnolipid fermentation broths was pH-dependent with the foaming ability decreasing from 162.8% to 28.6% from pH 8 to 4. The “non-foaming” rhamnolipid fermentation can be realized at pH 5.5, but the biosynthesis of rhamnolipids was significantly inhibited. Further, rhamnolipid yield rebounded from 8.1 g/L to 15.4 g/L after ultraviolet and ethyl methanesulfonate compound mutagenesis. The mechanism study showed that the species changes of rhamnolipid homologs did not affect the foaming behavior of the fermentation but had a slight effect on the bioactivity of rhamnolipids. At pH 8.0 to 5.0, increased surface tension, decreased viscosity and zeta potential, and aggregation of rhamnolipid molecules contributed to the “non-foaming” rhamnolipid fermentation. This study provides a promising avenue for the “non-foaming” rhamnolipid fermentation and elucidates the mechanisms involved, facilitating the understanding of pH-associated foaming behavior and developing a more efficient strategy for achieving rhamnolipid production.

Emerging frontiers in microbe-mediated pesticide remediation: Unveiling role of omics and In silico approaches in engineered environment

The overuse of pesticides for augmenting agriculture productivity always comes at the cost of environment, biodiversity, and human health and has put the land, water, and environmental footprints under severe threat throughout the globe. Underpinning and maximizing the microbiome functions in pesticide-contaminated environments has become a prerequisite for a sustainable environment and resilient agriculture. It is imperative to elucidate the metabolic network of the microbial communities and environmental variables at the contaminated site to predict the best strategy for remediation and soil microbe-pesticide interactions. High throughput next-generation sequencing and in silico analysis allow us to identify and discern the members and characteristics of core microbiomes at the contaminated site. Integration of modern high throughput multi-omics investigations and informatics pipelines provide novel approaches and pathways to capitalize on the core microbiomes for enhancing environmental functioning and mitigation. The role of eco-genomics tools in visualising the microbial network, taxonomy, functional potential, and environmental variables in contaminated habitats is discussed in this review. The integrated role of the potential microbe identification as individual or consortia, mechanistic approach for pesticide degradation, identification of responsible enzymes/genes, and in silico approach is emphasized for the prospects of the area.

Rhamnolipid Biosurfactants for Oil Recovery: Salt Effects on the Structural Properties Investigated by Mesoscale Simulations

Rhamnolipids (RLs) are biosurfactants produced by Pseudomonas. The biodegradability and the variety of their functionality make them suitable for environmental remediation and oil recovery. We use dissipative particle dynamics simulations to investigate the aggregation behaviors of ionic RL congeners with nonane in various operating conditions. Under zero-salinity conditions, all RL congeners studied here form small ellipsoidal clusters with detectable free surfactants. When salt ions are present, the electrostatic repulsion between the ionized heads is overcome, resulting in the formation of larger aggregates of unique structures. RLs with C10-alkyl tails tend to form elongated wormlike micelles, while RLs with C16-alkyl tails tend to form clusters in spherical symmetry, including vesicles. Di-rhamnolipids (dRLs) require stronger solvation than monorhamnolipids (mRLs) to form clusters, and the resulting size of micelles is decreased. The morphology of the mixed dRL/mRL/oil systems is controlled based on the type of the congeners and the oil contents. In addition, the divalent calcium ions are found to be influential to the structure of the micelles through different mechanisms. For 5 wt % salinity, the ionic RLs can form oil-swollen micelles up to a 1:1 surfactant-to-oil ratio, suggesting that ionic RLs are superb to act as cleaning agents for petroleum hydrocarbons in the marine area. These key findings may guide the design for RL-based washing techniques in enhanced oil recovery.

Detection and diversity of the mannosylerythritol lipid (MEL) gene cluster and lipase A and B genes of Moesziomyces antarcticus isolated from terrestrial sites chronically contaminated with crude oil in Trinidad

BACKGROUND

Mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) belong to the class of glycolipid biosurfactants and are produced by members of the Ustilago and Moesziomyces genera. Production of MELs is regulated by a biosynthetic gene cluster (MEL BGC). Extracellular lipase activity is also associated with MEL production. Most microbial glycolipid-producers are isolated from oil-contaminated environments. MEL-producing yeast that are capable of metabolizing crude oil are understudied, and there is very limited data on indigenous strains from tropical climates. Analysis of the MEL BGC and lipase genes in Trinidad M. antarcticus strains, using a gene-targeted approach, revealed a correlation between their intrinsic capability to degrade crude oil and their adaptation to survive in a chronically polluted terrestrial environment.

RESULTS

M. antarcticus was isolated from naturally-occurring crude oil seeps and an asphaltic mud volcano in Trinidad; these are habitats that have not been previously reported for this species. Genus identification was confirmed by the large-subunit (LSU) and the small-subunit (SSU) sequence comparisons and species identification was confirmed by ITS sequence comparisons and phylogenetic inference. The essential genes (Emt1, Mac1, Mac2, Mmf1) of the MEL BGC were detected with gene-specific primers. Emt1p, Mac1p and Mmf1p sequence analyses confirmed that the Trinidad strains harboured novel synonymous amino acid (aa) substitutions and structural comparisons revealed different regions of disorder, specifically for the Emt1p sequence. Functionality of each protein sequence was confirmed through motif mining and mutation prediction. Phylogenetic relatedness was inferred for Emt1p, Mac1p and Mmf1p sequences. The Trinidad strains clustered with other M. antarcticus sequences, however, the representative Trinidad M. antarcticus sequences consistently formed a separate, highly supported branch for each protein. Similar phylogenetic placement was indicated for LipA and LipB nucleotide and protein sequences. The Trinidad strains also demonstrated lipolytic activity in culture, with an ability to utilize different carbon sources. Comparative evolution of MEL BGC and LipA gene suggested early and late duplication events, depending on the gene, followed by a number of speciation events within Ustilaginaceae. M. antarcticus and M. aphidis were separated from all other members of Ustilaginaceae and two gene homologues were detected, one for each species.

CONCLUSIONS

Sequence analyses was based on a novel gene-targeted approach to analyze the essential genes of the MEL BGC and LipA and LipB genes of M. antarcticus strains from Trinidad. The findings indicated that these strains accumulated nucleotide mutations to a threshold level that did not affect the function of specific proteins encoded by the MEL BGC and LipA and LipB genes. The biosurfactant and lipase enzymes secreted by these Trinidad M. antarcticus strains facilitated their survival in oil-contaminated terrestrial environments. These findings suggest that the Trinidad strains should be explored as promising candidates for the commercial production of MEL biosurfactants and lipase enzymes.

Review on classification, physicochemical properties and applications of microbial surfactants

Biosurfactants are amphiphilic microbial compounds synthesized from plants and micro organisms that have both hydrophilic and hydrophobic zones, which are classified into liquid-liquid, liquid-solid and liquid-gas interfaces. Due to their versatile nature, low toxicity, and high reactivity at extreme temperatures, as well as – extremely important – their good biodegradability and environmental compatibility, biobased surfactants provide approaches for use in many environmental industries. Biosurfactants produced by microorganisms have potential applications in bioremediation as well as in the petroleum, agricultural, food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. In this review article, we include a detailed overview of the knowledge obtained over the years, such as factors influencing bio-surfactant production and developments in the incorporation of biomolecules in different industries and future research needs.

A biogenic microbial biosurfactin that degrades difenoconazole fungicide with potential antimicrobial and oil displacement properties

Surfactin is a bacterial lipopeptide and an influential biosurfactant mainly known for excellent surfactant ability. The amphiphilic nature of surfactin helps it to sustain under hydrophobic and hydrophilic conditions. In this investigation, a bacterium strain (BTKU3) that produces biosurfactant were isolated from oil-contaminated soil. Based on the blue agar plate (Bap) assay, the BTKU3 strain was found to be promising for biosurfactant production. This strain was later identified as a Lysinibacillus sp. by 16S rRNA sequencing. The characteristics of extracted bacterial surfactin were evidenced by FTIR with the presence of amine, C-H, CO, CC, esters, thiocarbonyl and asymmetric aliphatic C-H stretch molecular structural groups. Further, the extracted bacterial biosurfactant material was subjected to Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (LCMS), and it was identified and confirmed as surfactin with an elution time of 3.1 min and m/z value of 1034. The emulsification and oil displacement tests further proved the surfactin ability with 83% of coconut oil emulsion index and 80 % oil displacement ability with diesel, respectively. Lysinibacillus sp. BTKU3 strain also proved its efficacy in the degradation of difenoconazole by utilizing a capacity of 9.1 μg ml^-1. Thus, it is inferred that the Lysinibacillus sp. BTKU3 strain plays a significant role in the production of surfactin, which positively acts as an antimicrobial agent and reduces contaminants in polluted sites.

Control of Multidrug-Resistant Pathogenic Staphylococci Associated with Vaginal Infection Using Biosurfactants Derived from Potential Probiotic Bacillus Strain

Biosurfactants exhibit antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activities. They can be used as therapeutic agents and in the fight against infectious diseases. Moreover, the anti-adhesive properties against several pathogens point to the possibility that they might serve as an anti-adhesive coating agent for medical inserts and prevent nosocomial infections, without using synthetic substances. In this study, the antimicrobial, antibiofilm, cell surface hydrophobicity, and antioxidative activities of biosurfactant extracted from Bacillus sp., against four pathogenic strains of Staphylococcus spp. associated with vaginal infection, were studied. Our results have shown that the tested biosurfactant possesses a promising antioxidant potential, and an antibacterial potency against multidrug clinical isolates of Staphylococcus, with an inhibitory diameter ranging between 27 and 37 mm, and a bacterial growth inhibition at an MIC of 1 mg/ mL, obtained. The BioSa3 was highly effective on the biofilm formation of different tested pathogenic strains. Following their treatment by BioSa3, a significant decrease in bacterial attachment (p < 0.05) was justified by the reduction in the optical (from 0.709 to 0.111) following their treatment by BioSa3. The antibiofilm effect can be attributed to its ability to alter the membrane physiology of the tested pathogens to cause a significant decrease (p < 0.05) of over 50% of the surface hydrophobicity. Based on the obtained result of the bioactivities in the current study, BioSa3 is a good candidate in new therapeutics to better control multidrug-resistant bacteria and overcome bacterial biofilm-associated infections by protecting surfaces from microbial contamination.

Tapping the Role of Microbial Biosurfactants in Pesticide Remediation: An Eco-Friendly Approach for Environmental Sustainability

Pesticides are used indiscriminately all over the world to protect crops from pests and pathogens. If they are used in excess, they contaminate the soil and water bodies and negatively affect human health and the environment. However, bioremediation is the most viable option to deal with these pollutants, but it has certain limitations. Therefore, harnessing the role of microbial biosurfactants in pesticide remediation is a promising approach. Biosurfactants are the amphiphilic compounds that can help to increase the bioavailability of pesticides, and speeds up the bioremediation process. Biosurfactants lower the surface area and interfacial tension of immiscible fluids and boost the solubility and sorption of hydrophobic pesticide contaminants. They have the property of biodegradability, low toxicity, high selectivity, and broad action spectrum under extreme pH, temperature, and salinity conditions, as well as a low critical micelle concentration (CMC). All these factors can augment the process of pesticide remediation. Application of metagenomic and in-silico tools would help by rapidly characterizing pesticide degrading microorganisms at a taxonomic and functional level. A comprehensive review of the literature shows that the role of biosurfactants in the biological remediation of pesticides has received limited attention. Therefore, this article is intended to provide a detailed overview of the role of various biosurfactants in improving pesticide remediation as well as different methods used for the detection of microbial biosurfactants. Additionally, this article covers the role of advanced metagenomics tools in characterizing the biosurfactant producing pesticide degrading microbes from different environments.

Low-cost production and application of lipopeptide for bioremediation and plant growth by Bacillus subtilis SNW3

At present time, every nation is absolutely concern about increasing agricultural production and bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated soil. Hence, with this intention in the current study potent natural surfactants characterized as lipopeptides were evaluated for low-cost production by Bacillus subtilis SNW3, previously isolated from the Fimkessar oil field, Chakwal Pakistan. The significant results were obtained by using substrates in combination (white beans powder (6% w/v) + waste frying oil (1.5% w/v) and (0.1% w/v) urea) with lipopeptides yield of about 1.17 g/L contributing 99% reduction in cost required for medium preparation. To the best of our knowledge, no single report is presently describing lipopeptide production by Bacillus subtilis using white beans powder as a culture medium. Additionally, produced lipopeptides display great physicochemical properties of surface tension reduction value (SFT = 28.8 mN/m), significant oil displacement activity (ODA = 4.9 cm), excessive emulsification ability (E24 = 69.8%), and attains critical micelle concentration (CMC) value at 0.58 mg/mL. Furthermore, biosurfactants produced exhibit excellent stability over an extensive range of pH (1-11), salinity (1-8%), temperature (20-121°C), and even after autoclaving. Subsequently, produced lipopeptides are proved suitable for bioremediation of crude oil (86%) and as potent plant growth-promoting agent that significantly (P < 0.05) increase seed germination and plant growth promotion of chili pepper, lettuce, tomato, and pea maximum at a concentration of (0.7 g/100 mL), showed as a potential agent for agriculture and bioremediation processes by lowering economic and environmental stress.

Secondary metabolites released by the rhizosphere bacteria Arthrobacter oxydans and Kocuria rosea enhance plant availability and soil-plant transfer of germanium (Ge) and rare earth elements (REEs)

Here, we explore effects of metallophore-producing rhizobacteria on the plant availability of germanium (Ge) and rare earth elements (REEs). Five isolates of the four species Rhodococcus erythropolis, Arthrobacter oxydans, Kocuria rosea and Chryseobacterium koreense were characterized regarding their production of element-chelators using genome-mining, LC-MS/MS analysis and solid CAS-assay. Additionally, a soil elution experiment was conducted in order to identify isolates that increase solubility of Ge and REEs in soil solution. A. oxydans ATW2 and K. rosea ATW4 released desferrioxamine-, bacillibactin- and surfactin-like compounds that mobilized Ge and REEs as well as P, Fe, Si and Ca in soil. Subsequently, oat, rapeseed and reed canary grass were cultivated on soil and sand and treated with cells and iron depleted culture supernatants of A. oxydans ATW2 and K. rosea ATW4. Inoculation increased plant yield and shoot phosphorus (P), manganese (Mn), Ge and REE concentrations. However, effects of the inoculation varied substantially between the growth substrates and plant species. On sand, A. oxydans ATW2 increased accumulation of REEs in all plant species and root-shoot translocation in rapeseed, while K. rosea ATW4 enhanced REE accumulation in rapeseed only, without effects on other plant species. Sand-cultured oat plants showed increased Ge accumulation and root-shoot translocation in presence of A. oxydans ATW2 cells and K. rosea ATW4 supernatant; however, there was no effect on other plant species, irrespective the growth substrate used. In contrast, soil-cultured rapeseed showed enhanced REE accumulation in presence of cells of A. oxydans ATW2 while there were no effects on other plant species and Ge. The processes involved are not yet fully understood. Nevertheless, we demonstrated that chemical microbe-soil-plant relationships influence plant availability of nutrients together with Ge and REEs, which has major implications on our understanding of biogeochemical element cycling and development of sustainable bioremediation and biomining technologies.

Scalable downstream method for the cyclic lipopetide jagaricin

Cyclic lipopeptides are substances with a high potential to act as antimicrobial agents. Jagaricin, produced by Janthinobacterium agaricidamnosum DSM 9628 and discovered in 2012, is a new member of this class with promising antifungal properties. However, further experiments to investigate future applications and/or conduct chemical derivatization to change properties and toxicity are impossible due to the limited access to jagaricin. Besides a high jagaricin concentration at the end of the fermentation process, a suitable downstream process is essential to generate appropriate amounts with the desired purity. In contrast to other amphiphilic molecules, jagaricin cannot be separated by foam fractionation since it is mainly attached to the surface of the microbial biomass. This technical report presents an overall process chain consisting of 11 individual steps to generate jagaricin in gram scale with a purity of over 95%.

Mechanism and Characteristics of Oil Recovery from Oily Sludge by Sodium Lignosulfonate Treatment

The separation of oil components from oily sludge is an important component of soil remediation and energy recovery. Therefore, establishing a green and efficient separation technology is of great significance. In this study, oily sludge was separated using sodium lignosulfonate (SL) treatment. The effects of temperature, SL concentration, rotate speed, time, and pH on the oil removal rate were studied. The optimal conditions were as follows: temperature, 30 °C; SL concentration, 2.0 g·L-1; rotate speed, 200 rpm; time, 60 min; and pH 11. The maximum oil removal rate was 83.21%. The physicochemical properties of oily sludge were analyzed. The soil was looser, and the contact angle (55°) of the soil surface was reduced. Alkanes, aldehydes, ketones, carbonic acids, benzene rings, and alicyclic ethers were removed. The result shows that the SL treatment removed a wider range of petroleum hydrocarbon and had a stronger oil removal capacity. It provides a new method for the green and efficient separation of oily sludge.

Bioconversion of Food Waste to produce Industrial-scale Sophorolipid Syrup and Crystals: dynamic Life Cycle Assessment (dLCA) of Emerging Biotechnologies

Bioconversion of food waste into sophorolipid-based biosurfactants is a promising emerging technology. It is important to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with the latest advancements in sophorolipid production as it matures to maximize sustainability on scale-up. This study takes a dynamic Life Cycle Assessment (dLCA) approach to address the inherent uncertainties and evaluate the environmental performances. It demonstrates the dLCA framework by conducting the new traversal of food waste-derived industrial-scale sophorolipid production, with the combination of Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA). A systematic investigation of the environmental-economic implications of the two pathways to produce SL crystals and syrup. The global warming potential (GWP) for 1 kg of SL crystals and syrup was 7.9 kg CO₂ eq. and 5.7 kg CO₂ eq., respectively. The Ashby-like charts based on the LCA and TEA results at the pilot plant highlighted the trade-offs between systemic environmental costs and economic benefits for design decisions.

Nanocatalysts for Oxidative Desulfurization of Liquid Fuel: Modern Solutions and the Perspectives of Application in Hybrid Chemical-Biocatalytic Processes

In this paper, the current advantages and disadvantages of using metal-containing nanocatalysts (NCs) for deep chemical oxidative desulfurization (ODS) of liquid fuels are reviewed. A similar analysis is performed for the oxidative biodesulfurization of oil along the 4S-pathway, catalyzed by various aerobic bacterial cells of microorganisms. The preferences of using NCs for the oxidation of organic sulfur-containing compounds in various oil fractions seem obvious. The text discusses the development of new chemical and biocatalytic approaches to ODS, including the use of both heterogeneous NCs and anaerobic microbial biocatalysts that catalyze the reduction of chemically oxidized sulfur-containing compounds in the framework of methanogenesis. The addition of anaerobic biocatalytic stages to the ODS of liquid fuel based on NCs leads to the emergence of hybrid technologies that improve both the environmental characteristics and the economic efficiency of the overall process. The bioconversion of sulfur-containing extracts from fuels with accompanying hydrocarbon residues into biogas containing valuable components for the implementation of C-1 green chemistry processes, such as CH4, CO2, or H2, looks attractive for the implementation of such a hybrid process.

Biosurfactant is a powerful tool for the bioremediation of heavy metals from contaminated soils

Heavy metal toxicity has become a pressing ecological problem that affects the ecosystems through bioaccumulation, representing a serious public health hazard. Many conventional strategies have been developed and applied to decontaminate and restore metal-contaminated areas. However, these conventional approaches are not very suitable and environmentally safe for heavy metal remediation because of their high operational costs, high energy requirements, post-waste disposal problems, and secondary pollutant generation. Thus, biosurfactant-based bioremediation of heavy metals is a sustainable and promising approach because of its biodegradation capability, economic effectiveness, and ecofriendly nature. Pseudomonas sp., Bacillus sp., Citrobacter freundii, and Candida tropicalis have been isolated as potential sources of biosurfactants and produce compounds such as surfactin, rhamnolipids, and sophorolipids. Owing to the severity of heavy metal pollution in certain parts of the environment, biosurfactants have garnered great interest and attention as an emerging multi-functional technology of the new century for successful removal of heavy metal pollutants. The present study describes the role of biosurfactants in the bioremediation of heavy metals from contaminated environments. Moreover, the interaction mechanism underlying biosurfactant-metal complexation and metal remediation are discussed. Based on the review of the literature, further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanistic roles and explore the structural characterization and gene regulation of biosurfactants to improve their productivity and expand their applicability in bioremediation.

Exploiting Microbes in the Petroleum Field: Analyzing the Credibility of Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR)

Crude oil is a major energy source that is exploited globally to achieve economic growth. To meet the growing demands for oil, in an environment of stringent environmental regulations and economic and technical pressure, industries have been required to develop novel oil salvaging techniques. The remaining ~70% of the world’s conventional oil (one-third of the available total petroleum) is trapped in depleted and marginal reservoirs, and could thus be potentially recovered and used. The only means of extracting this oil is via microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR). This tertiary oil recovery method employs indigenous microorganisms and their metabolic products to enhance oil mobilization. Although a significant amount of research has been undertaken on MEOR, the absence of convincing evidence has contributed to the petroleum industry’s low interest, as evidenced by the issuance of 400+ patents on MEOR that have not been accepted by this sector. The majority of the world’s MEOR field trials are briefly described in this review. However, the presented research fails to provide valid verification that the microbial system has the potential to address the identified constraints. Rather than promising certainty, MEOR will persist as an unverified concept unless further research and investigations are carried out.

Isolation, screening and molecular characterization of biosurfactant producing bacteria from soil samples of auto repair shops

A total of 107 bacterial strains were isolated from used motor oil contaminated soil samples from auto-repair shops. The isolates were evaluated for their biosurfactant production abilities by employing a series of screening techniques, including hemolytic assay, oil displacement assay, drop-collapse assay, and parafilm M test. The potential biosurfactant producers were characterized by 16S rDNA-based molecular tools and were identified as Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Micrococcus sp., Citrobacter sp., and Bacillus sp. The widest clearing zone with a diameter of 6.5 cm was observed upon the addition of cell-free supernatant (CFS) from P. mirabilis SLM-B52 as assayed by the oil displacement test. Remarkable emulsification indexes, equivalent to 42% (against kerosene), 53% (against xylenes), and 50% (against benzene and toluene), were recorded by the CFSs of Micrococcus sp. SLM-B28, P. mirabilis SLM-B85, and K. pneumoniae SLM-B46, respectively. Du Noüy tensiometer analysis showed that biosurfactant produced by P. mirabilis SLM-B52 has the highest surface tension reduction capacity with a value of 30.5 mN m^-1. The emulsifying activity of a CFS from P. mirabilis was also described in this study for the first time. Taking together, biosurfactants from promising bacterial strains have potential application in microorganism-based biodegradation processes of hydrocarbons which cause detrimental effects on the environment.

Heavy Vacuum Gas Oil Upregulates the Rhamnosyltransferases and Quorum Sensing Cascades of Rhamnolipids Biosynthesis in Pseudomonas sp. AK6U

We followed a comparative approach to investigate how heavy vacuum gas oil (HVGO) affects the expression of genes involved in biosurfactants biosynthesis and the composition of the rhamnolipid congeners in Pseudomonas sp. AK6U. HVGO stimulated biosurfactants production as indicated by the lower surface tension (26 mN/m) and higher yield (7.8 g/L) compared to a glucose culture (49.7 mN/m, 0.305 g/L). Quantitative real-time PCR showed that the biosurfactants production genes rhlA and rhlB were strongly upregulated in the HVGO culture during the early and late exponential growth phases. To the contrary, the rhamnose biosynthesis genes algC, rmlA and rmlC were downregulated in the HVGO culture. Genes of the quorum sensing systems which regulate biosurfactants biosynthesis exhibited a hierarchical expression profile. The lasI gene was strongly upregulated (20-fold) in the HVGO culture during the early log phase, whereas both rhlI and pqsE were upregulated during the late log phase. Rhamnolipid congener analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed a much higher proportion (up to 69%) of the high-molecularweight homologue Rha–Rha–C₁₀–C₁₀ in the HVGO culture. The results shed light on the temporal and carbon source-mediated shifts in rhamonlipids’ composition and regulation of biosynthesis which can be potentially exploited to produce different rhamnolipid formulations tailored for specific applications.

Microbial surfactants in nanotechnology: recent trends and applications

The interest in nano-sized materials to develop novel products has increased exponentially in the last decade, together with the search for green methods for their synthesis. An alternative to contribute to a more sustainable approach is the use of microbial-derived molecules to assist nanomaterial synthesis. In this sense, biosurfactants (BSs) have emerged as eco-friendly substitutes in nano-sized materials preparation. The inherent amphiphilic and self-assembly character of BSs associated with their low eco-toxicity, biodegradability, biocompatibility, structural diversity, biological activity, and production from renewable resources are potential advantages over chemically-derived surfactants. In nanotechnology, these versatile molecules play multiple roles. In nanoparticle (NP) synthesis, they act as capping and reducing agents and they also provide self-assembly structures to encapsulation, functionalization, or templates and act as emulsifiers in nanoemulsions. Moreover, BSs can also play as active compounds owing to their intrinsic biological properties. This review presents the recent trends in the development of BS-based nanostructures and their biomedical and environmental applications. Fundamental aspects regarding their antimicrobial and anticancer activities are also discussed.