Biosurfactant production by two isolates ofPseudomonas aeruginosa

  • C. Rocha
  • F. San-Blas
  • G. San-Blas
  • L. Vierma
Research Papers

Abstract

Two strains of biosurfactant-producing bacteria, identified asPseudomonas aeruginosa, were isolated from injection water and crude oil-associated water in Venezuelan oil fields. Both biosurfactants resembled rhamnolipids and produced stable emulsions of heavy and extra-heavy crude oils, reducing the surface tension of water from 72 to 28 dynes/cm. Tenso-active properties of the biosurfactants were not affected by pH, temperature, salinity or Ca2+ or Mg2+ at concentrations in excess of those found in many oil reservoirs in Venezuela.

Key words

Biosurfactants microbially enhanced oil recovery Pseudomonas aeruginosa rhamnolipids 

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Copyright information

© Rapid Communications of Oxford Ltd 1992

Authors and Affiliations

  • C. Rocha
    • 1
  • F. San-Blas
    • 1
  • G. San-Blas
    • 1
  • L. Vierma
    • 2
  1. 1.Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Cientificas (IVIC)Centro de Microbiologia y Biologia CelularCaracasVenezuela
  2. 2.INTEVEP S.A.CaracasVenezuela

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