Production and properties of a biosurfactant obtained from a member of the Bacillus subtilis group (PTCC 1696).
The production and properties of a biosurfactant, synthesized by a member of the Bacillus subtilis group (PTCC 1696) which was isolated from an Iranian oil field, have been investigated. The biosurfactant, which was produced as a primary metabolite associated with the growth of PTCC 1696, was able to reduce the surface and interfacial tension of media to 26.7 and 0.1 mN/m, respectively. Crude biosurfactant and acid precipitated biosurfactant have critical micelle concentrations of 10 and 100 mug/ml, respectively. The stability of the biosurfactant at different salinities, pH and temperature and also its emulsifying activity have been investigated. It is an effective surfactant at very low concentrations over a wide range of temperatures, pHs and salt concentrations and also has the ability to emulsify oil, which is essential for enhanced oil recovery.
Ghojavand
Hossein
H
Department of Chemical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran; IOR Research Institute, National Iranian Oil Company, Tehran, Iran. h_ghojavand@aut.ac.ir
Vahabzadeh
Farzaneh
F
Roayaei
Emad
E
Shahraki
Alireza Khodabandeh
AK
D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007218:Industrial Microbiology; D010578:Petroleum; D012492:Salts; D013500:Surface Tension; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013696:Temperature
D010578:Petroleum; D012492:Salts; D013501:Surface-Active Agents