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Isolation and characterization of a biosurfactant-producing bacterium Bacillus pumilus IJ-1 from contaminated crude oil collected in Taean, Korea

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Abstract

A bacterial strain, designated as IJ-1, was newly isolated from crude oil sample collected in Taean oil spill contaminated area, Korea. The isolate had a biosurfactant-producing activity due to development of a hemolysis zone around the colony on blood agar plate. The strain was identified as Bacillus pumilus IJ-1 based on its morphological and biochemical characteristics. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rDNA sequences confirmed the strain as B. pumilus IJ-1. Glycerol was the best carbon source for the biosurfactant production by B. pumilus IJ-1. The maximum production of the biosurfactant was obtained when tryptone was supplied as a nitrogen source. Biosurfactant production was associated with the growth of B. pumilus IJ-1. The yield of biosurfactant reached maximum level (2.6 g/L) during the stationary phase, during which the cell-free broth containing the biosurfactant could reduce the surface tension from 58.6 dyne/cm to 27.5 dyne/cm. B. pumilus IJ-1 was able to degrade crude oil, diesel, gasoline, and kerosene. The biosurfactant produced by B. pumilus IJ-1 showed the good emulsification activities on vegetable oils, paraffin, and crude oil. In particular, olive oil was the best substrate for emulsification activity. GC-FID analysis of the crude oil remaining in the culture medium showed that B. pumilus IJ-1 was almost completely degraded during incubation for 96 h.

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  1. College of General Education, Inje University, Gimhae, 621-749, Republic of Korea

    Jiyeon Kim

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Kim, J. Isolation and characterization of a biosurfactant-producing bacterium Bacillus pumilus IJ-1 from contaminated crude oil collected in Taean, Korea. J Korean Soc Appl Biol Chem 57, 5–14 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13765-013-4236-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13765-013-4236-9

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