Abstract
This study aims to valorize waste engine oil (WEO) for synthesizing economically viable biosurfactants (rhamnolipids) to strengthen the circular bioeconomy concept. It specifically focuses on investigating the influence of key bioprocess parameters, viz. agitation and aeration rates, on enhancing rhamnolipid yield in a fed-batch fermentation mode. The methodology involves conducting experiments in a stirred tank bioreactor (3 L) using Pseudomonas aeruginosa gi |KP 163922| as the test organism. Central composite design and response surface methodology (CCD-RSM) are employed to design the experiments and analyze the effects of agitation and aeration rates on various parameters, including dry cell biomass (DCBM), surface tension, tensoactivity, and rhamnolipid yield. It is also essential to determine the mechanistic pathway of biosurfactant production followed by the strain using complex hydrophobic substrates such as WEO. The study reveals that optimal agitation and aeration rates of 200 rpm and 1 Lpm result in the highest biosurfactant yield of 29.76 g/L with minimal surface tension (28 mN/m). Biosurfactant characterization using FTIR, 1H NMR, and UPLC-MS/MS confirm the presence of dominant molecular ion peaks m/z 543.9 and 675.1. This suggests that the biosurfactant is a mixture of mono- and di-rhamnolipids (RhaC10C10, RhaRhaC10C12:1, RhaRhaC12:1C10). The findings present a sustainable approach for biosurfactant production in a fed-batch bioreactor. This research opens the possibility of exploring the use of pilot or large-scale bioreactors for biosurfactant production in future investigations.
Graphical abstract
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- 2-FI:
-
2-Factor interaction
- ANOVA:
-
Analysis of variance
- CCD:
-
Central composite design
- CFU:
-
Colony-forming units
- DOE:
-
Design of experiments
- FTIR:
-
Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy
- NMR:
-
Nuclear magnetic resonance
- UPLC MS:
-
Ultra-performance liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy
- δ:
-
Chemical shift
References
Aboelkhair H, Diaz P, Attia A (2022) Environmental comparative study of biosurfactants production and optimization using bacterial strains isolated from Egyptian oil fields. J Pet Sci Eng 216:110796. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PETROL.2022.110796
Ashby RD, Zulkifli WNFWM, Yatim ARM et al (2023) Glycolipid biosurfactants: biosynthesis and related potential applications in food industry. Appl next Gener Biosurfactants Food. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-824283-4.00006-X
Astuti DI, Purwasena IA, Putri RE et al (2019) Screening and characterization of biosurfactant produced by Pseudoxanthomonas sp. G3 and its applicability for enhanced oil recovery. J Pet Explor Prod Technol 9:2279–2289. https://doi.org/10.1007/S13202-019-0619-8/TABLES/5
Bhattacharya M, Biswas D, Sana S, Datta S (2015a) Biodegradation of waste lubricants by a newly isolated Ochrobactrum sp. C1. 3 Biotech 5:807–817. https://doi.org/10.1007/S13205-015-0282-9/FIGURES/6
Bhattacharya M, Guchhait S, Biswas D, Datta S (2015b) Waste lubricating oil removal in a batch reactor by mixed bacterial consortium: a kinetic study. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 38:2095–2106. https://doi.org/10.1007/S00449-015-1449-9/FIGURES/8
Borges WS, Moura AAO, Filho UC et al (2015) optimization of the operating conditions for rhamnolipid production using slaughterhouse-generated industrial float as substrate. Braz J Chem Eng 32:357–365. https://doi.org/10.1590/0104-6632.20150322S00003675
Casas López JL, Rodríguez Porcel EM, Oller Alberola I et al (2006) Simultaneous determination of oxygen consumption rate and volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient in pneumatically agitated bioreactors. Ind Eng Chem Res 45:1167–1171. https://doi.org/10.1021/IE050782A/ASSET/IMAGES/LARGE/IE050782AF00003.JPEG
Chong H, Li Q (2017) Microbial production of rhamnolipids: opportunities, challenges and strategies. Microb Cell Fact 161(16):1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/S12934-017-0753-2
Debbarma P, Joshi D, Maithani D et al (2021) Sustainable bioremediation strategies to manage environmental pollutants. Remov Refract Pollut from Wastewater Treat Plants. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003204442-14
Dobler L, Vilela LF, Almeida RV, Neves BC (2016) Rhamnolipids in perspective: gene regulatory pathways, metabolic engineering, production and technological forecasting. N Biotechnol. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nbt.2015.09.005
Drakontis CE, Amin S (2020) Biosurfactants: formulations, properties, and applications. Curr Opin Colloid Interface Sci 48:77–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.COCIS.2020.03.013
Ebadipour N, Lotfabad TB, Yaghmaei S, RoostAazad R (2015) Optimization of low-cost biosurfactant production from agricultural residues through response surface methodology Prep. Biochem Biotechnol 46:30–38. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826068.2014.979204
El-Housseiny GS, Aboshanab KM, Aboulwafa MM, Hassouna NA (2020) Structural and physicochemical characterization of rhamnolipids produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa P6. AMB Express 10:1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/S13568-020-01141-0/figures/5
Gaur VK, Manickam N (2021) Microbial Biosurfactants: production and applications in circular bioeconomy. In: Biomass, biofuels, biochem circ bioeconomy-current dev futur outlook, pp 353–378. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-821878-5.00011-8
Gaur S, Gupta S, Jain A (2021a) Characterization and oil recovery application of biosurfactant produced during bioremediation of waste engine oil by strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa gi|KP 16392| isolated from Sambhar salt lake. Bioremediat J 25:308–325. https://doi.org/10.1080/10889868.2020.1871316
Gaur S, Gupta S, Jain A (2021b) Characterization and oil recovery application of biosurfactant produced during bioremediation of waste engine oil by strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa gi|KP 16392| isolated from Sambhar salt lake. Bioremediat J 25:308–325. https://doi.org/10.1080/10889868.2020.1871316/suppl_file/bbrm_a_1871316_sm3806.docx
Gaur VK, Gautam K, Sharma P et al (2022a) Sustainable strategies for combating hydrocarbon pollution: special emphasis on mobil oil bioremediation. Sci Total Environ 832:155083. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155083
Gaur VK, Sharma P, Sirohi R et al (2022b) Production of biosurfactants from agro-industrial waste and waste cooking oil in a circular bioeconomy: an overview. Bioresour Technol 343:126059. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BIORTECH.2021.126059
Gaur S, Gupta S, Jain A (2023a) Production, characterization, and kinetic modeling of biosurfactant synthesis by Pseudomonas aeruginosa gi | KP 163922 |: a mechanism perspective. World J Microbiol Biotechnol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-023-03623-2
Gaur S, Gupta S, Jha PN, Jain A (2023b) Rhamnolipid production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (SSL-4) on waste engine oil (WEO): Taguchi optimization, soil remediation, and phytotoxicity investigation. Environ Technol. https://doi.org/10.1080/09593330.2023.2257915
Gaur S, Sahani A, Chattopadhyay P et al (2023c) Remediation of waste engine oil contaminated soil using rhamnolipid based detergent formulation. Mater Today Proc 77:31–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2022.08.452
Gautam K, Sharma P, Gaur VK et al (2023) Oily waste to biosurfactant: a path towards carbon neutrality and environmental sustainability. Environ Technol Innov 30:103095. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ETI.2023.103095
Hassan M, Essam T, Yassin AS, Salama A (2016) Optimization of rhamnolipid production by biodegrading bacterial isolates using Plackett-Burman design. Int J Biol Macromol 82:573–579. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.IJBIOMAC.2015.09.057
Heyd M, Kohnert A, Tan TH et al (2008) Development and trends of biosurfactant analysis and purification using rhamnolipids as an example. Anal Bioanal Chem 391:1579–1590. https://doi.org/10.1007/S00216-007-1828-4
HoŠková M, Schreiberová O, JeŽdík R et al (2013) Characterization of rhamnolipids produced by non-pathogenic Acinetobacter and Enterobacter bacteria. Bioresour Technol 130:510–516. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2012.12.085
Ibrahim HMM (2018) Characterization of biosurfactants produced by novel strains of Ochrobactrum anthropi HM-1 and Citrobacter freundii HM-2 from used engine oil-contaminated soil. Egypt J Pet 27:21–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpe.2016.12.005
Imron MF, Titah HS (2018) Optimization of diesel biodegradation by Vibrio alginolyticus using Box-Behnken design. Environ Eng Res 23:374–382. https://doi.org/10.4491/EER.2018.015
Kim B, Kim J (2013) Optimization of culture conditions for the production of biosurfactant by Bacillus subtilis JK-1 using response surface methodology. J Korean Soc Appl Biol Chem 56:279–287. https://doi.org/10.1007/S13765-013-3044-6/METRICS
Larik IA, Qazi MA, Phulpoto AH et al (2019) Stenotrophomonas maltophilia strain 5DMD: an efficient biosurfactant-producing bacterium for biodegradation of diesel oil and used engine oil. Int J Environ Sci Technol 16:259–268. https://doi.org/10.1007/S13762-018-1666-2/FIGURES/6
Li S, Zhou H, Chen C et al (2023) Rhamnolipids amendment improves soil properties and enhances microecological functions in the saline-alkali soil. Environ Eng Res 28:220234. https://doi.org/10.4491/EER.2022.234
Liu Z, de Souza TSP, Holland B et al (2023) Valorization of food waste to produce value-added products based on its bioactive compounds. Process 11:840. https://doi.org/10.3390/PR11030840
Markande AR, Patel D, Varjani S (2021) A review on biosurfactants: properties, applications and current developments. Bioresour Technol 330:124963. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2021.124963
Mishra S, Chauhan P, Gupta S et al (2017) CO2 sequestration potential of halo-tolerant bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa SSL-4 and its application for recovery of fatty alcohols. Process Saf Environ Prot 111:582–591. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PSEP.2017.08.013
Mohanty SS, Koul Y, Varjani S et al (2021) A critical review on various feedstocks as sustainable substrates for biosurfactants production: a way towards cleaner production. Microb Cell Fact 20:120. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12934-021-01613-3
Najafi AR, Rahimpour MR, Jahanmiri AH et al (2010) Enhancing biosurfactant production from an indigenous strain of Bacillus mycoides by optimizing the growth conditions using a response surface methodology. Chem Eng J 163:188–194. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.CEJ.2010.06.044
Nitschke M, Paulista UE, Nitschke M et al (2005) Oil wastes as unconventional substrates for rhamnolipid biosurfactant production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa LBI. Biotechnol Prog 3:1562–1566
Noordman WH, Janssen DB (2002) Rhamnolipid stimulates uptake of hydrophobic compounds by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Appl Environ Microbiol 68:4502–4508. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.68.9.4502-4508.2002
Nunes RF, Teixeira ACSC (2022) An overview on surfactants as pollutants of concern: occurrence, impacts and persulfate-based remediation technologies. Chemosphere 300:134507. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134507
Nur Asshifa MN, Zambry NS, Salwa MS, Yahya ARM (2017) The influence of agitation on oil substrate dispersion and oxygen transfer in Pseudomonas aeruginosa USM-AR2 fermentation producing rhamnolipid in a stirred tank bioreactor. 3 Biotech 7:1–11. https://doi.org/10.1007/S13205-017-0828-0/FIGURES/6
Oliveira FJS, Vazquez L, de Campos NP, de França FP (2009) Production of rhamnolipids by a Pseudomonas alcaligenes strain. Process Biochem 44:383–389. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PROCBIO.2008.11.014
Patowary K, Patowary R, Kalita MC, Deka S (2017) Characterization of biosurfactant produced during degradation of hydrocarbons using crude oil as sole source of carbon. Front Microbiol 8:219111. https://doi.org/10.3389/FMICB.2017.00279/BIBTEX
Phulpoto IA, Wang Y, Qazi MA et al (2021) Bioprospecting of rhamnolipids production and optimization by an oil-degrading Pseudomonas sp. S2WE isolated from freshwater lake. Bioresour Technol 323:124601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2020.124601
Portal D’Almeida A, de Albuquerque TL, Melo VMM et al (2023) Biosurfactant production by Acinetobacter venetianus and its application in bioremediation. Chem Eng Technol. https://doi.org/10.1002/ceat.202200540
Purwasena IA, Astuti DI, Syukron M et al (2019) Stability test of biosurfactant produced by Bacillus licheniformis DS1 using experimental design and its application for MEOR. J Pet Sci Eng 183:106383. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PETROL.2019.106383
Sah D, Rai JPN, Ghosh A, Chakraborthy M (2022) A review on biosurfactant producing bacteria for remediation of petroleum contaminated soils. 3 Biotech 129(12):1–31. https://doi.org/10.1007/S13205-022-03277-1
Sana S, Datta S, Biswas D, Bhattacharya M (2017) Production kinetics of Rhamnolipid using fish fat: a step towards environmental hazard control of sewage. Environ Technol Innov 8:299–308. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ETI.2017.07.004
Santhoshkumar A, Ramanathan A (2020) Recycling of waste engine oil through pyrolysis process for the production of diesel like fuel and its uses in diesel engine. Energy 197:117240. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ENERGY.2020.117240
Santos DKF, Brandão YB, Rufino RD et al (2014) Optimization of cultural conditions for biosurfactant production from Candida lipolytica. Biocatal Agric Biotechnol 3:48–57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcab.2014.02.004
Santos DKF, Meira HM, Rufino RD et al (2017) Biosurfactant production from Candida lipolytica in bioreactor and evaluation of its toxicity for application as a bioremediation agent. Process Biochem 54:20–27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procbio.2016.12.020
Sarubbo LA, SilvaDurval MGCIJB et al (2022) Biosurfactants: production, properties, applications, trends, and general perspectives. Biochem Eng J 181:108377. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bej.2022.108377
Silva SNRL, Farias CBB, Rufino RD et al (2010) Glycerol as substrate for the production of biosurfactant by Pseudomonas aeruginosa UCP0992. Colloids Surf B 79:174–183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfb.2010.03.050
Singh P, Patil Y, Rale V (2019) Biosurfactant production: emerging trends and promising strategies. J Appl Microbiol 126:2–13. https://doi.org/10.1111/JAM.14057
Soares da Silva RCF, Almeida DG, Meira HM et al (2017) Production and characterization of a new biosurfactant from Pseudomonas cepacia grown in low-cost fermentative medium and its application in the oil industry. Biocatal Agric Biotechnol 12:206–215. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BCAB.2017.09.004
Varjani SJ (2017) Microbial degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons. Bioresour Technol 223:277–286. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2016.10.037
Varjani S, Rakholiya P, Ng Y et al (2021) Bio-based rhamnolipids production and recovery from waste streams: Status and perspectives. Bioresour Technol 319:124213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2020.124213
Vasileva-Tonkova E, Galabova D, Stoimenova E, Lalchev Z (2006) Production and properties of biosurfactants from a newly isolated Pseudomonas fluorescens HW-6 growing on hexadecane. Zeitschrift Fur Naturforsch C 61:553–559. https://doi.org/10.1515/znc-2006-7-814/machinereadablecitation/ris
Vatsa P, Sanchez L, Clement C et al (2010) Rhamnolipid biosurfactants as new players in animal and plant defense against microbes. Int J Mol Sci 11:5096–5109. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms11125095
Xu N, Liu S, Xu L et al (2020) Enhanced rhamnolipids production using a novel bioreactor system based on integrated foam-control and repeated fed-batch fermentation strategy. Biotechnol Biofuels 13:1–10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-020-01716-w
Zarur Coelho MA, Fontes GC, Fonseca Amaral PF, Nele M (2010) Factorial design to optimize biosurfactant production by Yarrowia lipolytica. J Biomed Biotechnol. https://doi.org/10.1155/2010/821306
Acknowledgements
The authors are grateful to the Department of Chemical Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Pilani Campus, Rajasthan, for providing the support and infrastructure for the experimental work. The authors would also like to thank the Central NMR facility, BITS Pilani, for helping with the advanced characterizations. The authors would like to acknowledge the Materials Research Center, MNIT Jaipur, for allowing access to the Mass Spectrometer facility that augments the work.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
All authors contributed to the conception and design of the study. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Shailee Gaur, Vennu Revanth, Jujaru Mohan and Amit Jain. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Shailee Gaur, and all authors commented on previous versions. Suresh Gupta and Amit Jain supervised the findings of this work. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary Information
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Gaur, S., Jujaru, M., Vennu, R. et al. Valorization of waste engine oil to mono- and di-rhamnolipid in a sustainable approach to circular bioeconomy. Biodegradation (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-024-10081-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-024-10081-6