Skip to main content
Log in

Quantitative analysis of biosurfactants using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy

  • Published:
Biotechnology Letters Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A quick and simple technique has been developed that is suitable to quantify the concentration of most types of biosurfactants in a typical growth medium using infrared spectroscopy. The area of the peak due to the carbonyl bond of the biosurfactant was measured and compared to the area of the nitrile peak in an internal standard (anthracenecarbonitrile). This ratio showed a linear trend with the concentration of biosurfactant in the medium for concentrations from 0.2 to 3.2 g biosurfactant l−1. The presence of hydrocarbons in the media and variations in the pH of the media did not interfere with the measurements.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Banat IM (1995a) Characterization of biosurfactants and their use in pollution removal - state of the art. Acta Biotechnol. 15: 251–267.

    Google Scholar 

  • Banat IM (1995b) Biosurfactants production and possible uses in microbial enhanced oil recovery and oil pollution remediation: a review. Bioresources Technol. 51: 1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bartha R (1986) Biotechnology of petroleum pollutant biodegradation. Microbiol. Ecol. 12: 155–172.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chandrasekaran EV, BeMiller JN (1980) In: Methods in Carbohydrate Chemistry, Vol. III. New York: Academic Press, pp. 89.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper DG, Zajic JE (1980) Surface-active compounds from microorganisms. Adv. Appl. Microbiol. 26: 229–253.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper DG, MacDonald CR, Duff SJB, Kosaric N (1981) Enhanced production of surfactin from Bacillus subtilis by continuous product removal and metal cation additions. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 42: 408–412.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crosman JT (1998) Enhanced biosurfactant production using synchronous cultures of Corynebacterium alkanolyticum. MEng Thesis. Montreal, Canada: McGill University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Desai JD, Banat IM (1997) Microbial production of surfactants and their commercial potential. Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev. 61: 47–64.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dyer JR (1965) Applications of Absorption Spectroscopy of Organic Compounds. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., pp. 34–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klekner V, Kosaric N (1993) Biosurfactants for cosmetic. Surfactant Sci. Ser. 48: 373–389.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lang S, Katsiwela E, Wagner F (1989) Antimicrobial effects of biosurfactants. Fett Wiss. Technol. 91: 363–366.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin S-C, Chen Y-C, Lin Y-M (1998) General approach for the development of high-performance liquid chromatography methods for biosurfactant analysis and purification. J Chromatogr. A 825: 149–159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matsufuji M, Nakata K, Yoshimoto A (1997) High Production of rhamnolipids by Pseudomonas aeruginosa growing on ethanol. Biotechnol. Lett. 19: 1213–1215.

    Google Scholar 

  • Neu TR, Haertner T, Poralla K (1990) Surface active properties of viscosin - a peptidolipid antibiotic. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 32: 518–520.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg E (1986) Microbial surfactants. CRC Crit. Rev. Biotechnol. 3: 109–132.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schenk T, Schuphan I, Schmidt B (1995) High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of the rhamnolipids produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J. Chromatogr. A 693: 7–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shepherd R, Rockey J, Sutherland IW, Roller S (1995) Novel bioemulsifier from microorganisms for use in foods. J. Biotechnol. 40: 207–217.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tabuchi T, Nakamura I, Kobayashi T (1977) Accumulation of the open-ring acid of spiculisporic acid by Penicillium spiculisporum in shake culture. J. Ferment. Technol. 55: 37–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zajic JE, Seffens W (1984) Biosurfactants. CRC Crit. Rev. Biotechnol. 1: 81–107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou Q-H, Kosaric N (1995) Utilization of canola oil and lactose to produce biosurfactant with Candida bombicola. J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 72: 67–71.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gartshore, J., Lim, Y. & Cooper, D. Quantitative analysis of biosurfactants using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Biotechnology Letters 22, 169–172 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005670031432

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005670031432

Navigation