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.
Department of Chemical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran; IOR Research Institute, National Iranian Oil Company, Tehran, Iran. h_ghojavand@aut.ac.ir
Hossein
H
Ghojavand
Farzaneh
F
Vahabzadeh
Emad
E
Roayaei
Alireza Khodabandeh
AK
Shahraki
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