Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Studies of the Cell Surface Properties of Candida Species and Relation to the Production of Biosurfactants for Environmental Applications

  • Published:
Current Microbiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In practical bioremediation of petroleum pollution, treatment systems often use soil, sand, and other aquifer porous media besides water solutions. The distribution of the microbial cell also plays an important role in the whole process of bioremediation; therefore, the adhesion ability of cells to porous media is one of the key factors influencing the efficiency of treatment. The probable modes of hydrocarbon uptake in cells of Candida were studied based on data for cell hydrophobicity, emulsifying activity, surface tension, and interfacial tension of the cell-free culture medium. Six Candida strains were cultivated in insoluble and soluble substrates for 144 h, including n-hexadecane, soybean oil, ground-nut oil refinery residue, corn steep liquor, and glucose. The results obtained showed the potential of yeasts for application in the removal of hydrophobic compounds. Depending the strain and substrate used the adhesion ability of yeast cells and the production of surfactants and emulsifiers can take place simultaneously, thus increasing the efficiency of bioremediation treatment of petroleum pollution. The application of crude biosurfactants separated from the yeast cells was also demonstrated by tests of removal of petroleum and the derivate motor oil adsorbed in sand samples. Biosurfactants produced in low-cost medium were able to remove 90% of the hydrophobic contaminants.

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

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Van-Hamme JD, Singh A, Ward OP (2006) Physiological aspects Part 1 in a series of papers devoted to surfactants in microbiology and biotechnology. Biotechnol Adv 24:604–620

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Canet R, Birnstingl JG, Malcolm DG, Lopez-Real JM, Beck AJ (2001) Biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by native microflora and combinations of white-rot fungi in a coal-tar contaminated soil. Biores Technol 76:113–117

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Sotirova A, Spasova D, Vasileva-Tonkova E, Galabova D (2007) Effects of rhamnolipid-biosurfactant on cell surface of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Microbiol Res (doi:10.1016/j.micres.2007.01.005; available at http://www.sciencedirect.com)

  4. Rufino RD, Sarubbo LA, Campos-Takaki GM (2007) Enhancement of stability of biosurfactant produced by Candida lipolytica using industrial residue as substrate. W J Microbiol Biotechnol 23:729–734

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Sarubbo LA, Marçal MCR, Neves MLC, Silva MPC, Porto ALF, Campos-Takaki GM (2001) Bioemulsifier production in batch culture using glucose as carbon source by Candida lipolytica. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 95:59–67

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Sarubbo LA, Farias CBB, Campos-Takaki GM (2007) Co-utilization of canola oil and glucose on the production of a surfactant by Candida lipolytica. Curr Microbiol 54:68–73

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Singh A, Van-Hamme JD, Ward OP (2007) Surfactants in microbiology and biotechnology: Part 2. Application aspects. Biotechnol Adv 25:99–121

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Cortis A, Ghezzehei TA (2007) On the transport of emulsions in porous media. J Colloid Interface Sci 313:1–4

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Vasileva-Tonkova E, Galabova D, Stoimenova E, Lalchev Z (2008) Characterization of bacterial isolates from industrial wastewater according to probable modes of hexadecane uptake. Microbiol Res 163:481–486

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Hommel RK (1994) Formation and function of biosurfactants for degradation of water-soluble substrates. In: Ratledge C (ed) Biochemistry of microbial biodegradation. Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, pp 63–87

    Google Scholar 

  11. Vasileva-Tonkova E, Gesheva V (2005) Glycolipids produced by Antartic Nocardioides sp. during growth on n-paraffin. Process Biochem 40:2387–2391

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Cooper DG, Goldenberg BG (1987) Surface active agents from two Bacillus species. Appl Environm Microbiol 53:224–229

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Rosenberg M, Gutnik D, Rosenberg E (1980) Adherence of bacteria to hydrocarbons: a simple method for measuring cell-surface hydrophobicity. FEMS Microbiol Lett 9:29–33

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas (ABNT) (1982) NBR8492: tijolo maciço de solo-cimento: determinação da resistência à compressão e da absorção de água, método de ensaio. ABNT, Rio de Janeiro

    Google Scholar 

  15. Luna JM, Sarubbo LA, Campos-Takaki GM (2008) A new biosurfactant produced by Candida glabrata UCP1002: characteristics of stability and application in oil recovery. Brazilian Arch Biol Technol (in press)

  16. Hua Z, Chen J, Lun S, Wang X (2003) Influence of biosurfactants produced by Candida antarctica on surface properties of micro-organism and biodegradation of n-alkanes. Water Res 37:4143–4150

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Bouchez-Naïtali M, Rakatozafy H, Marchal R, Leveau J, Vandecasteele JP (1999) Diversity of bacterial strains degrading hexadecane in relation to the mode of substrate uptake. J Appl Microbiol 86:421–428

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Banat IM, Makkar RS, Cameotra SS (2000) Potential applications of microbial surfactants. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 53:495–508

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Adamczak M, Bednarski W (2000) Influence of medium composition and aeration on the synthesis of surfactants produced by Candida antarctica. Biotechnol Lett 22:313–316

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Sobrinho HBS, Rufino RD, Luna JM, Salgueiro AA, Campos-Takaki GM, Leite LFC, Sarubbo LA (2008) Utilization of two agroindustrial by-products for the production of a surfactant by Candida sphaerica UCP0995. Process Biochem 43:912–917. doi:10.1016/j.procbio.2008.04.013

    Google Scholar 

  21. Abu-Ruwaida AS, Banat IM, Haditirto S, Salem A, Kadri M (1991) Isolation of biosurfactant-producing bacteria—product characterization and evaluation. Acta Biotecnol 2:315–324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Kuyukina MS, Ivshina IB, Makarov SO, Litvinenko LV, Cunningham CJ, Philip JC (2005) Effect of biosurfactants on crude oil desorption and mobilization in a soil system. Environ Int 31:155–161

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Joshi S, Bharuch C, Jha S, Yadav S, Nerurkar A, Desai AJ (2008) Biosurfactant production using molasses and whey under thermophilic conditions. Biores Tecnol 99:195–199

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and Universidade Católica de Pernambuco, Brazil. We are grateful to Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Ambientais (NPCIAMB) laboratories, Universidade Católica de Pernambuco, Brazil.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Ambientais (NPCIAMB), Universidade Católica de Pernambuco, Rua Nunes Machado 42, Bl J, Térreo, Boa Vista, CEP 50050-590, Recife, PE, Brazil

    Camila D. Coimbra, Raquel D. Rufino, Juliana M. Luna & Leonie A. Sarubbo

  2. Programa de Doutorado em Micologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil

    Raquel D. Rufino

  3. Programa de Doutorado em Ciências Biológicas, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil

    Juliana M. Luna

  4. Centro de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Católica de Pernambuco, Rua do Príncipe 526, Bl D, Boa Vista, CEP 50050-900, Recife, PE, Brazil

    Leonie A. Sarubbo

Authors
  1. Camila D. Coimbra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Raquel D. Rufino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Juliana M. Luna
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Leonie A. Sarubbo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Leonie A. Sarubbo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Coimbra, C.D., Rufino, R.D., Luna, J.M. et al. Studies of the Cell Surface Properties of Candida Species and Relation to the Production of Biosurfactants for Environmental Applications. Curr Microbiol 58, 245–251 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-008-9315-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-008-9315-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation