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Degradation of selected (bio-)surfactants by bacterial cultures monitored by calorimetric methods

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Abstract

The subjects of the article are investigations concerning the ability of both Rhodococcus opacus 1CP and mixed bacterial cultures to use selected surfactants as sole carbon and energy source. In a comparative manner the biosurfactants rhamnolipid, sophorolipid and trehalose tetraester, and the synthetic surfactant Tween 80 were examined. Particular emphasis was put on a combinatorial approach to determine quantitatively the degree of surfactant degradation by applying calorimetry, thermodynamic calculations and mass spectrometry, HPLC as well as determination of biomass. The pure bacterial strain R. opacus was only able to metabolize a part of the synthetic surfactant Tween 80, whereas the mixed bacterial cultures degraded all of the applied surfactants. Exclusive for the biosurfactant rhamnolipid a complete microbial degradation could be demonstrated. In the case of the other surfactants only primary degradation was observed.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge DN D. Hempelt from the Institute of Biochemistry at TU Dresden for the mass-spectral analysis. For financial support we thank the Scholarship Programme for Graduates of the Free State of Saxony as well as the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Physical Chemistry, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Leipziger Str. 29, 09596, Freiberg, Germany

    Nicole Frank, Andreas Lißner, Mario Winkelmann, Regina Hüttl & Florian O. Mertens

  2. Institute of Biosciences, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Leipziger Str. 29, 09596, Freiberg, Germany

    Stefan R. Kaschabek & Michael Schlömann

Authors
  1. Nicole Frank
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  2. Andreas Lißner
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  3. Mario Winkelmann
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  4. Regina Hüttl
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  5. Florian O. Mertens
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  6. Stefan R. Kaschabek
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  7. Michael Schlömann
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Correspondence to Regina Hüttl.

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Frank, N., Lißner, A., Winkelmann, M. et al. Degradation of selected (bio-)surfactants by bacterial cultures monitored by calorimetric methods. Biodegradation 21, 179–191 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-009-9292-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-009-9292-9

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