title: Microbial Activation of Bacillus subtilis-Immobilized Microgel Particles for Enhanced Oil Recovery.
abstract: Microbially enhanced oil recovery involves the use of microorganisms to extract oil remaining in reservoirs. Here, we report fabrication of microgel particles with immobilized Bacillus subtilis for application to microbially enhanced oil recovery. Using B. subtilis isolated from oil-contaminated soils in Myanmar, we evaluated the ability of this microbe to reduce the interfacial tension at the oil-water interface via production of biosurfactant molecules, eventually yielding excellent emulsification across a broad range of the medium pH and ionic strength. To safely deliver B. subtilis into a permeable porous medium, in this study, these bacteria were physically immobilized in a hydrogel mesh of microgel particles. In a core flooding experiment, in which the microgel particles were injected into a column packed with silica beads, we found that these particles significantly increased oil recovery in a concentration-dependent manner. This result shows that a mesh of microgel particles encapsulating biosurfactant-producing microorganisms holds promise for recovery of oil from porous media.
authors: Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources , Daejeon 34132, Republic of Korea.|Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University , Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea.
authors: Han Am
authors: HA
authors: Son
authors: Sang Koo
authors: SK
authors: Choi
authors: Eun Sook
authors: ES
authors: Jeong
authors: Bohyun
authors: B
authors: Kim
authors: Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources , Daejeon 34132, Republic of Korea.
authors: Hyun Tae
authors: HT
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University , Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea.
authors: Won Mo
authors: WM
authors: Sung
authors: Jin Woong
authors: JW
authors: Kim
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D018914:Cells, Immobilized / Q000378:metabolism*; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate / Q000737:chemistry; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007700:Kinetics; D061329:Oil and Gas Fields; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D059392:Petroleum Pollution; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D013500:Surface Tension; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D020136:Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; D012822:Silicon Dioxide