title: Biosurfactant production by Azotobacter chroococcum isolated from the marine environment.
abstract: Preliminary characterization of a biosurfactant-producing Azotobacter chroococcum isolated from marine environment showed maximum biomass and biosurfactant production at 120 and 132 h, respectively, at pH 8.0, 38 degrees C, and 30 per thousand salinity utilizing a 2% carbon substrate. It grew and produced biosurfactant on crude oil, waste motor lubricant oil, and peanut oil cake. Peanut oil cake gave the highest biosurfactant production (4.6 mg/mL) under fermentation conditions. The biosurfactant product emulsified waste motor lubricant oil, crude oil, diesel, kerosene, naphthalene, anthracene, and xylene. Preliminary characterization of the biosurfactant using biochemical, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and mass spectral analysis indicated that the biosurfactant was a lipopeptide with percentage lipid and protein proportion of 31.3:68.7.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, Polytechnic Institute of New York University, Six Metrotech Center, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA. hydrobact@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thavasi
authors.forename: V R M
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Subramanyam Nambaru
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jayalakshmi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Balasubramanian
authors.forename: Ibrahim M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Banat
mesh_terms: D001395:Azotobacter / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004783:Environmental Microbiology; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008386:Marine Biology; D000074241:Peanut Oil; D010578:Petroleum / Q000378:metabolism; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000378:metabolism; D054712:Salinity; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000191:economics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000074241:Peanut Oil; D010578:Petroleum; D010938:Plant Oils; D013501:Surface-Active Agents