Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Emulsification of hydrocarbons by subsurface bacteria

  • Original Papers
  • Published:
Journal of Industrial Microbiology

Summary

Biosurfactants have potential for use in enhancement of in situ biorestoration by increasing the bioavailability of contaminants. Microorganisms isolated from biostimulated, contaminated and uncontaminated zones at the site of an aviation fuel spill and hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms isolated from sites contaminated with unleaded gasoline were examined for their abilities to emulsify petroleum hydrocarbons. Emulsifying ability was quantified by a method involving agitation and visual inspection. Biostimulated-zone microbes and hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms were the best emulsifiers as compared to contaminated and uncontaminated zone microbes. Biostimulation (nutrient and oxygen addition) may have been the dominant factor which selected for and encouraged growth of emulsifiers; exposure to hydrocarbon was also important. Biostimulated microorganisms were better emulsifiers of aviation fuel (the contaminant hydrocarbon) than of heavier hydrocarbon to which they were not previously exposed. By measuring surface tension changes of culture broths, 11 out of 41 emulsifiers tested were identified as possible biosurfactant producers and two isolates produced large surface tension reductions indicating the high probability of biosurfactant production.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Atlas, R.M. 1984. Use of microbial diversity measurements to assess environmental stress. In: Current Perspectives in Microbial Ecology (Klug, M.J. and C.A. Reddy, eds.) pp. 540–545, American Society for Microbiology. Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Balkwill, D.L. 1990. Deep-aquifer microorganisms. In: Isolation of Biotechnological Organisms from Nature (Labeda, D.P., ed.) pp. 184–211, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Bannerjee, S., S. Duttagupta and A.M. Chakrabarty. 1983. Production of emulsifying agent during growth ofPseudomonas cepacia with 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid. Arch. Microbiol. 135: 110–114.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Broderick, L.S. and J.J. Cooney. 1979. Emulsification of hydrocarbons by bacteria from freshwater ecosystems. Dev. Industr. Microbiol. 24: 425–434.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Cook, F.D. and D.W.S. Westlake. 1974. Microbiological degradation of northern crude oils. In: Environmental-Social Committee: Northern Pipelines, Task Force on Northern Oil Development. Information Canada, Report No. 74-1, Catalog No. R72-12774. Ottawa, Canada.

  6. Cooper, D.G. 1986. Biosurfactants. Microbiol. Sci. 3: 145–149.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Cooper, D.G., C.R. McDonald, S.J.B. Duff and N. Kosaric. 1981. Enhanced production of surfactin fromBacillus subtilus by continuous removal and metal cation additions. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 42: 408–412.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Dunlap, W.J., J.F. McNabb, M.R. Scalf and R.L. Cosby. 1977. Sampling for organic chemicals and microorganisms in the subsurface. EPA 600/2-77-176, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Ada, OK.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Duvnjak, Z., D.G. Cooper and N. Kosaric. 1983. Effect of nitrogen sources on surfactant production byArthrobacter paraffineus. In: Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (Zajic, J.E., D.G. Cooper, T.R. Jack and N. Kosaric, eds.) pp. 66–72, Pennwell Books, Tulsa, OK.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Fiorenza, S. 1990. Personal communication. Rice University, Houston, TX.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Gerson, D.F. and J.E. Zajic. 1978. Surfactant production from hydrocarbons byCorynebacterium lepus andPseudomonas asphaltericus. Dev. Industr. Microbiol. 19: 577–599.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Gerson, D.F. and J.E. Zajic. 1979. Comparison of surfactant production from kerosene by four species of Corynebacterium. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 45: 81–94.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Ghiorse, W.C. and J.T. Wilson. 1988. Microbial Ecology of the Terrestrial Subsurface. Adv. Appl. Microbiol. 33: 107–172.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Guerra-Santos, L.H., O. Kappelli and A. Geichter. 1986. Dependence ofPseudomonas aeruginosa continuous culture biosurfactant production on nutritional and environmental factors. Appl. Microbiol. Biotech. 24: 443–448.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Knetting, E. and J.E. Zajic. 1972. Flocculant production from kerosene. Biotech. Bioeng. 14: 179–390.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Neufeld, R.J., J.E. Zajic and D.F. Gerson. 1983. Growth characteristics and cell partitioning ofAcinetobacter on hydrocarbon substrates. J. Ferment. Technol. 61: 315–321.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Raymond, R.L. 1974. Reclamation of Hydrocarbon Contaminated Ground Waters. U.S. Patent No. 3,846,290. November 5, 1974.

  18. Raymond, R.L., R.A. Brown, R.D. Norris and E.T. O'Neill. 1986. Stimulation of Biooxidation Precesses in Subterranean Formations. U.S. Patent 4,588,506. May 13, 1986.

  19. Roy, P.D., H.D. Singh, S.D. Bhagat and J.N. Baruah. 1979. Characterization of hydrocarbon emulsification and solubilization occurring during growth ofEndomycopis lipolytica on hydrocarbon. Biotech. Bioeng. 21: 955–974.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Syldatk, C. and F. Wagner. 1987. Production of biosurfactants. In: Biosurfactants and Biotechnology (Kosaric, N. and W.L. Cairns, eds.) pp. 89–121, Marcel Dekker, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Texas Research Institute. 1982. Enhancing the microbial degradation of underground gasoline by increasing available oxygen. pp. 1–25, American Petroleum Institute Document 8081 (FR). WLW. Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Ward, C.H., J.M. Thomas, S. Fiorenza, H.S. Rifai, P.B. Bedient, J.M. Armstrong, J.T. Wilson and R.L. Raymond. 1988. A quantitative demonstration of the Raymond process for in situ biorestoration of contaminated aquifers. In: Proceedings, NWWA/API Conference on Petroleum Hydrocarbons and Organic Chemicals in Ground Water: Prevention, Detection and Restoration, pp. 723–741, Houston, TX.

  23. Wilson, J.T., J.R. McNabb, B.H. Wilson and M.L. Noohan. 1983. Biotransformation of selected organic pollutants in ground water. Dev. Industr. Microbiol. 24: 225–233.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Zajic, J.E. and C.J. Panchal. 1976. Bioemulsifiers. CRC Crit. Rev. Micro. 5: 39–66.

    Google Scholar 

  25. Zajic, J.E. and W. Seffens. 1984. Biosurfactants. CRC Crit. Rev. Biotech. 1: 87–107.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Ziegenfuss, S. 1987. The potential use of surfactant and cosolvent soil washing as adjuvant for in situ aquifer restoration. 78 pp., Master's Thesis, Rice University, Houston, TX.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Center for Ground Water Research and Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA

    D. S. Francy, J. M. Thomas & C. H. Ward

  2. DuPont Environmental Remediation Services, Aston, Pennsylvania, USA

    R. L. Raymond

Authors
  1. D. S. Francy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. M. Thomas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. L. Raymond
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. C. H. Ward
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Francy, D.S., Thomas, J.M., Raymond, R.L. et al. Emulsification of hydrocarbons by subsurface bacteria. Journal of Industrial Microbiology 8, 237–245 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01576061

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01576061

Key words

Search

Navigation