title: Production and properties of a biosurfactant applied to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon solubilization.
abstract: Microorganisms isolated from a soil sample collected from a gasoline filling station (located in Guwahati) were tested for their pyrene- and anthracene-degrading potential. Preliminary studies showed the ability of the organism to grow on carbon-free mineral medium (CFMM) supplemented with pyrene as the sole source of carbon. The organisms were found to produce a bioemulsifier when grown on CFMM with glucose or glycerol and/or pyrene as the carbon source. The organisms could also utilize anthracene when grown on mineral salt medium along with 2% glycerol. Within 2 d, anthracene concentration dropped less than 30% of the original concentration. Approximately 100 mg of the emulsifier was isolated from 25 mL of the 5-d-grown culture. The emulsifier was tested to produce emulsion with both an aliphatic and an aromatic group of hydrocarbons and resulting emulsions were found to be stable for a long period of time when kept at 10-15 degrees C. The emulsifier was also quite stable in a pH range of 3.0-11.0. In a concentration range of 0.5-10 mg/mL, it resulted in a linear increment of apparent pyrene and anthracene solubility in water.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, India.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mahanty
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pakshirajan
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Dasu
mesh_terms: D000873:Anthracenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000254:growth & development*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D045703:Emulsifying Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011721:Pyrenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D012988:Soil Microbiology
chemical_list: D000873:Anthracenes; D045703:Emulsifying Agents; D011721:Pyrenes; C030984:pyrene; C034020:anthracene