Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Emulsifying activity in thermophilic and extremely thermophilic microorganisms

  • Published:
Journal of Industrial Microbiology

Abstract

Thermophilic and extremely thermophilic enrichments from several different environments produced cell-associated emulsifiers as did several pure cultures ofArchaea. The bioemulsifiers were effective over a wide range of pH, at NaCl concentrations up to 200 g L−1, and at temperatures up to 80°C. The emulsifying activity in cell-free extracts ofMethanobacterium thermoautotrophicum was a cell-associated protein with a molecular weight greater than 5000 Da. This emulsifier formed viscous emulsions, but did not reduce the surface tension of water or the interfacial tension between water and hexadecane. The emulsifier had the greatest activity with alkanes with carbon numbers greater than 10. The characteristics of the bioemulsifier fromM. thermoautotrophicum makes it suitable for use in saline or thermophilic oil reservoirs as a mobility control agent or in well-bore clean up processes.

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. Adkins JP, LA Cornell and RS Tanner. 1992. Microbial composition of carbonate petroleum reservoir fluids. Geomicrobiol J 10: 87–97.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Balch WE and RS Wolfe. 1976. New approach to the cultivation of methanogenic bacteria: 2-mercaptoethanesulphonic acid (HS-CoM)-dependent growth ofMethanobacterium ruminantium in a pressurized atmosphere. Appl Environ Microbiol 32: 781–791.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Beeman RE and JM Suflita. 1987. Microbial ecology of a shallow unconfined ground water aquifer polluted by municipal landfill leachate. Microbial Ecol 14: 39–54.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Belyaev SS, R Wolkin, WR Kenealy, MJ De Niro, S Epstein and JG Zeikus. 1983. Methanogenic bacteria from Bonhyzhskoe oil field: general characterization and analysis of stable-carbon isotopic fractionation. Appl Environ Microbiol 45: 691–697.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bligh EG and WJ Dyer. 1959. A rapid method of total lipid extraction and purification. Can J Biochem Biophys 37: 911–917.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Bryant MP. 1972. Commentary on the Hungate technique for the culture of anaerobic bacteria. Amer J Clin Nutr 25: 1324–1328.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Bryant MP and IM Robinson. 1961. An improved nonselective culture medium for rumimial bacteria and its use in determining diurnal variation in numbers of bacteria in the rumen. J Dairy Sci 44: 1446–1456.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Bryant RS, AK Stepp KM Bertus, TE Burchfield and M Dennis. 1993. Microbial-enhanced waterflooding field pilots. Devel Petro Sci 39: 289–306.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Cameron DR. 1988. The mannoprotein ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae is an effective emulsifier. Appl Environ Microbiol 54: 1420–1425.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Cooper DG and BG Goldenberg. 1987. Surface-active agents from twoBacillus species. Appl Environ Microbiol 53: 224–229.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Donaldson EC. 1985. Effect ofClostridium on production well capillary pressure phenomenon. In: Microbes and Oil Recovery, Vol II (Zajic JE and EC Donaldson, eds), pp 181–189 Bioresources Publications, EI Paso, TX.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Gevertz D, JR Paterek, ME Dovey and WA Wood. 1991. Isolation and characterization of anaerobic halophilic bacteria from oil reservoir brines. Devel Petro Sci 31: 115–129.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Grula EA, HH Russell, D Bryant and M. Kenaga. 1989. Oil displacement by anaerobic and facultative anaerobic bacteria Devel Petro Sci. 22: 113–123.

    Google Scholar 

  14. Hirsh J and EH Ahrens. 1958. The separation of complex lipid mixtures by the use of silicic, acid chromatography. J Biol Chem 233: 311–320.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Holzworth G. 1985. Xanthan and scleroglucan: structure and use in enhanced oil recovery. Dev Ind Microbiol 26: 271–280.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Hungate RE. 1969. A roll-tube method for the cultivation of strict anaerobes. In: Methods in Microbiology Vol 3B (Norris JR and DW Ribbons, eds), pp 117–132, Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Jenneman GE, MJ McInerney, RM Knapp, JB Clark, JM Ferro, DE Revus and DE Menzie. 1983. A halotolerant, biosurfactant-producingBacillus species potentially useful for enhanced oil recovery. Devel Ind Microbiol 25: 485–492.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Jenneman GE, AD Montgomery and MJ McInerney. 1986. Method for detection of microorganisms that produce gaseous nitrogen oxides. Appl Environ Microbiol 51: 776–780.

    Google Scholar 

  19. Knapp RM, JL Chisholm and MJ McInerney. 1990. Microbially enhanced oil recovery. In: Proceedings of the SPE/UH Emerging Technologies Conference, pp 229–234, Institute for Improved Oil Recovery, University of Houston, Houston, TX.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Knapp RM, MJ McInerney JD Coates, JL Chisholm, DE Menzie and VK Bhupathiraju. 1992. Design and implementation of a microbially enhanced oil recovery field pilot, Payne County, OK. In: Proc 67th Ann Tech Conf, Vol II, pp 535–546, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Richardson, TX.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Langworthy TA. 1979. Membrane structure of thermoacidophilic bacteria. In: Strategies for Microbial Life in Extreme Environments (Shilo M, ed), pp 417–432. Verlag Chemie Weinheim, Germany.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Langworthy TA. 1979. Membrane structure of thermoacidophilic bacteria. In: Thermophiles: General Molecular, and Applied Microbiology (Brock TD, ed), pp 107–132. John Wiley and Sons, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Langworthy TA. 1982. Lipids of bacteria living in extreme environments. In: Current Topics in Membranes and Transport, Vol 17 (Bronner F and A Kleinzeller, eds), pp 45–70, Academic Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Lazar I, S, Dobrota, M Stefanescu, L, Sandulescu P Constaninescu, C Morosanu, N Botea and O Iliescu. 1991. Preliminary results of some recent MEOR field trials in Romania. Devel Petro Sci 31: 365–385.

    Google Scholar 

  25. McInerney MJ and DWS Westlake. 1990. Microbially enhanced oil recovery. In: Microbial Mineral Recovery (Ehrilch HL and CL Brierly eds), pp 409–445, McGraw-Hill Publishing, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Nelson L and DA Schneider. 1993. Six years of paraffin control and enhanced oil recovery with the microbial product, Para-BacTM. Devel Petro Sci 39: 355–362.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Ni S and DR Boone. 1991. Isolation and characterization of a dimethyl sulfide-degrading methanogen,Methanolobus siciliae HI350, from an oil well, characterization ofM. siciliae T4/MT, and emendation ofM. siciliae. Int J Syst Bacteriol 41: 410–416.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Pelger JW. 1991. Microbial enhanced oil recovery treatments, and well bore stimulation using microorganism to control paraffin, emulsion, corrosion, and scale formation. Devel Petro Sci 31: 451–466.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Peterson CM. 1977. Modification of the Lowry protein assay. Anal Biochem 83: 346–356.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Rosenberg E 1993. Microbial diversity as a source of useful biopolymers. J Ind Microbiol 11: 131–137.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Rosenberg E, A Zuckerberg, C Rubinowitz and DL Gutnick. 1979. Emulsifier ofArthrobacter RAG-1: isolation and emulsifying properties. Appl Environ Microbiol 37: 402–408.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Sheehy AJ. 1990. Field studies of microbial EOR. SPE/DOE Seventh Symposium on Enhanced Oil Recovery, Paper SPE/DOE 20254, pp 785–790. Society of Petroleum Engineers, Richardson, TX.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Shennan J and JD Levi 1987.In situ microbial enhanced oil recovery. In: Biosurfactants and Biotechnology, Vol 25 (Kosaric, N., WL Cairns and NC Gray, eds), pp 163–181, Marcel Dekker, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  34. Tanner, RS and RS Wolfe. 1988. Nutritional requirements ofMethanobacterium mobile. Appl Environ Microbiol 54: 625–628.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Taylor KC and BF Hawkins. 1992. Emulsions in enhanced oil recovery. In: Emulsions: Fundamentals and Application in the Petroleum Industry (Schramm LL, ed), pp 263–293, Advances in Chemistry Series 231, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  36. Tornabene TG and TA Langworthy. 1979. Diphytanyl and bidyphytanyl glycerol ether lipids of methanogenic bacteria. Science 203: 51–53.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Udegbunam EO, RM Knapp, MJ McInerney and RS Tanner. 1993. Potential of microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) in the petroleum reservoirs of the midcontinent region. Okla Geol Sur Cir 95: 173–181.

    Google Scholar 

  38. US Department of Energy. 1990. Abandonment rates of the known domestic oil resource. DOE/BC-89/6/SP, Office of Fossil Energy, Bartlesville Project Office, Bartlesville, OK.

    Google Scholar 

  39. Wiegel J and LG Ljungdahl. 1984. The importance of thermophilic bacteria in biotechnology. CRC Crit Rev Biotechnol 3: 39–107.

    Google Scholar 

  40. Zajic JE and CJ Panchal. 1976. Bio-emulsifiers. CRC Crit Rev Microbiol 5: 39–66.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. G Trebbau de Acevedo

    Present address: , Apdo 76343, 1070A, Caracas, Venezuela

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany and Microbiology, University of Oklahoma, 770 Van Vleet Oval, 73019-0245, Norman, OK, USA

    G Trebbau de Acevedo & M J McInerney

Authors
  1. G Trebbau de Acevedo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M J McInerney
    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

Trebbau de Acevedo, G., McInerney, M.J. Emulsifying activity in thermophilic and extremely thermophilic microorganisms. Journal of Industrial Microbiology 16, 1–7 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01569914

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01569914

Keywords

Search

Navigation