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Rhamnolipids Application for the Removal of Vanadium from Contaminated Sediment

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Abstract

The use of biosurfactants in bioremediation of hydrocarbons and in the removal of heavy metals in crude oils is considered an attractive subject. The vanadium pollution in soil and sediments had attracted research interest in exploring eco-friendly methods of remediation. The present study was conducted to evaluate the potential of a biosurfactant to remove vanadium from artificially contaminated sand. The biosurfactant producer's strain selection process was carried out from 23 strains in two steps. In the primary screening, four preliminary tests were carried out: the emulsification index (24 and 72 h), the surface tension, and the rate of bacterial adhesion to hydrocarbons. In the secondary screening, the surface tension and rhamnolipids concentration were determined, also critical micellar concentration and dilution were calculated. The RNA 16s of selected strain was sequence and the strain was identified as Pseudomonas sp. By chromatographic and spectroscopic assays, the structure of the rhamnolipids was determined. The maximal vanadium removal efficiency (85.5%) was achieved with a rhamnolipids’ concentration of 240 mg l−1. The vanadium concentration was determined by spectroscopic technique. Rhamnolipids produced by this strain can potentially be used in the removal of vanadium.

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Acknowledgements

To Ivette Robles Matos, International Relations Department of the Universty of Oriente, Cuba.

Funding

The research was supported by Oil Research Centre of Cuba.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Biotechnology, Oil Research Centre (Ceinpet), Churruca #481, CP 12600, Cerro, La Habana, Cuba

    Yaima Barrios San Martín & Heidy F. Toledo León

  2. University of Orient, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

    Arelis Ábalos Rodríguez

  3. Laboratory of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

    Ana M. Marqués

  4. Faculty of Biology, University of Havana, Havana, Cuba

    Maria I. Sánchez López

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  1. Yaima Barrios San Martín
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  2. Heidy F. Toledo León
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  3. Arelis Ábalos Rodríguez
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  4. Ana M. Marqués
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  5. Maria I. Sánchez López
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Contributions

YBSM: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Formal analysis, Investigation, Data Curation, Writing—Original Draft, Writing—Review and Editing, Visualization. HFTL: Investigation and Data Curation. AÁR: Conceptualization, Validation, and Supervision. AMM: Methodology, Resources, Writing—Review and Editing. MISL: Writing—Review and Editing.

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Correspondence to Yaima Barrios San Martín.

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San Martín, Y.B., Toledo León, H.F., Rodríguez, A.Á. et al. Rhamnolipids Application for the Removal of Vanadium from Contaminated Sediment. Curr Microbiol 78, 1949–1960 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-021-02445-5

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