• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.390-396
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• 2013

Biosurfactants have versatile properties and potential industrial applications. A new producer, B. subtilis TU2, was isolated from the underground oil-extraction wastewater of Shengli Oilfield, China. Preliminary flask culture showed that the titer of biosurfactant obtained from the broth of TU2 was ~1.5 g/l at 48 h (718 mg/l after purification), with a reduced surface tension of 32.5 mN/m. The critical micelle concentration was measured as 50 mg/l and the surface tension maintained stability in solution with 50 g/l NaCl and 16 g/l $CaCl_2$ after 5 days of incubation at $70^{\circ}C$. FT-IR spectra exhibited the structure information of both glycolipid and lipopeptide. MALDI-TOF-MS analyses confirmed that the biosurfactant produced by B. subtilis TU2 was a blend of glycolipid and lipopeptide, including rhamnolipid, surfactin, and fengycin. The blended biosurfactant showed 86% of oil-washing efficiency and fine emulsification activity on crude oil, suggesting its potential application in enhanced oil recovery.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.313-319
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• 2007

The nutritional medium requirement for biosurfactant production by Bacillus licheniformis K51 was optimized. The important medium components, identified by the initial screening method of Plackett-Burman, were $H_3PO_4,\;CaCl_2,H_3BO_3$, and Na-EDTA. Box-Behnken response surface methodology was applied to further optimize biosurfactant production. The optimal concentrations for higher production of biosurfactants were (g/l): glucose, $1.1;NaNO_3,\;4.4;MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O,\;0.8;KCl,\;0.4;CaCl_2,\;0.27;H_3PO_4,\;1.0ml/l;\;and\;trace elements\;(mg/l):H_3BO_3,\;0.25;CuSO_4,\;0.6;MnSO_4,\;2.2;Na_{2}MoO_4,\;0.5;ZnSO_4,\;6.0;FeSO_4,\;8.0;CoCL_2,\;1.0;$ and Na-EDTA, 30.0. Using this statistical optimization method, the relative biosurfactant yield as critical micelle dilution (CMD) was increased from $10{\times}\;to\;105{\times}$, which is ten times higher than the non-optimized rich medium.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.106-117
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• 2013

Microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) is one of the most economical and efficient methods for extending the life of production wells in a declining reservoir. Microbial consortia from Wafra oil wells and Suwaihat production water, Al-Wusta region, Oman were screened. Microbial consortia in brine samples were identified using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and 16S rRNA gene sequences. The detected microbial consortia of Wafra oil wells were completely different from microbial consortia of Suwaihat formation water. A total of 33 genera and 58 species were identified in Wafra oil wells and Suwaihat production water. All of the identified microbial genera were first reported in Oman, with Caminicella sporogenes for the first time reported from oil fields. Most of the identified microorganisms were found to be anaerobic, thermophilic, and halophilic, and produced biogases, biosolvants, and biosurfactants as by-products, which may be good candidates for MEOR.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.1219-1228
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• 2021

Rhamnolipids are recognized as eco-friendly biosurfactants and produced by the bio-process employing bacteria. Pseudomons aeruginosa is well-known to produce rhamnolipids in high yield during fermentation process. Rhamnose and 𝛽-hydroxylated fatty acid are main chemicals for rhamnolipids, which are produced in the form of congener mixtures. In this paper, the synthetic mechanism of rhamnolipids within bacteria cells was presented in part and foam control technologies were qualitatively described. Foam control during fermentation process was important to regulate a continuous process. During last decade, the technologies are developed enough to challenge to a commercial-scale production. In particular, rhamnolipids will be more valuable if these can be applicable to value-added chemicals, such as medicines.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.9 no.12
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• pp.181-187
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• 2018

The historical consumption of oil dispersant was recorded during the protection plans after huge oil spill occurred in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. As a well-known oil dispersant, Corexit 9500 was used and continuously blamed for the negative effects on environmental ecology. Nevertheless, US EPA still recognizes Corexit 9500 as a future oil dispersant that might be possibly sprayed again to oil slick. In order to develop alternative oil dispersants, it is important to impel the convergency works mainly from microbiologist, ecologist, environmentalist, chemist, and chemical engineer. In this paper, the major components of Corexit 9500 were introduced by chemical structures and physical properties. Presented were also the biodegradable process of dispersed oils and the possible candidates of biosurfactants.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.317-323
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• 2008

Some surfactants known as biosurfactants, are produced biologically by yeast and bacteria from various substances. They are more effective and environmentally friendly than many other synthetic surfactants. Antimicrobial activities of sophorolipids produced by Candida bombiocola were investigated against various microorganisms. Minimal Inhibitory concentration (MIC) of sophorolipid against S. mutans, C. xerosis, and P. acnes were 0.005, 0.05, and 0.005%, respectively. The antimicrobiological activities were more effective than those of SLS and APG. Skin exfoliating and moisturizing effects of vehicles with the sophorolipids were tested. The skin turnover time of aqueous solution with 0.25% sophorolipids was similar to that of aqueous solution with 5.0% lactic acid. Higher moisturizing effects on skin showed as the concentration of sophorolipids increased. We suggest that the sophorolipids can be used for cosmetics as an antimicrobiological agent and an active materials of skin moisturizing and exfoliating.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.13-22
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• 2002

Soil washing by surfactants is a technology to enhance mobilization and subsequent degradation of oil pollutants by reducing the surface tension of pollutants which is combined with soil. In this study, biosurfactant, rhamnolipid was produced from Pseudomonas aemginosa ATCC 9027 which had an excellent biodegradable activity in soil without causing secondary pollution. Effects of chemical surfactants on the removal of diesel from diesel-contaminated soil were compared to those of biosurfactants including rhamnolipid. Diesel removal efficiency by rhamnolipid extracted from P. aeruginosa culture broth was over 95% in both batch and column washing test in 5,000ppm diesel-contaminated soil with 1% surfactants after washing for 24 hours. On the contrary, the results of chemical surfactants were below 50∼80%, The chemical surfactants with HLB value(8∼15) showed more then 75% efficiency of diesel removal. But, when the HLB values were below 8 or over 15. their efficiency were observed as less then 60% of diesel removal. Rhamnolipid, biologically produced surfactants, may also be promising agent for enhancing diesel removal from contaminated soil.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.524-532
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• 2018

In this study, two types of amino acids-based anionic biosurfactants such as potassium cocoyl glutamate (CTK) and sodium cocoyl glutamate (CTN) were synthesized from coconut oils and the structure elucidation of CTK and CTN was carried out by using FT-IR, $^1H-NMR$ and $^{13}C-NMR$ spectrophotometries. Measurements of interfacial properties such as static and dynamic surface tensions and emulsification activity showed that both CTK and CTN were surface-active and effective in lowering the interfacial free energy. In particular, the CTK surfactant was found to be more efficient in reducing the interfacial free energy since the larger number of CTK molecules was preferentially adsorbed at the air-water interface due to the higher hydrophobicity and larger mobility of CTK than those of using CTN, indicating possible uses in cosmetics and household products formulation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.283-291
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• 2012

Bioremediation efforts often rely on the application of surfactants to enhance hydrocarbon bioavailability. However, synthetic surfactants can sometimes be toxic to degrading microorganisms, thus reducing the clearance rate of the pollutant. Therefore, surfactant-resistant bacteria can be an important tool for bioremediation efforts of hydrophobic pollutants, circumventing the toxicity of synthetic surfactants that often delay microbial bioremediation of these contaminants. In this study, we screened a natural surfactant-rich compartment, the estuarine surface microlayer (SML), for cultivable surfactant-resistant bacteria using selective cultures of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Resistance to surfactants was evaluated by colony counts in solid media amended with critical micelle concentrations (CMC) of either surfactants, in comparison with non-amended controls. Selective cultures for surfactant-resistant bacteria were prepared in mineral medium also containing CMC concentrations of either CTAB or SDS. The surfactantresistant isolates obtained were tested by PCR for the Pseudomonas genus marker gacA gene and for the naphthalene-dioxygenase-encoding gene ndo. Isolates were also screened for biosurfactant production by the atomized oil assay. A high proportion of culturable bacterioneuston was tolerant to CMC concentrations of SDS or CTAB. The gacA-targeted PCR revealed that 64% of the isolates were Pseudomonads. Biosurfactant production in solid medium was detected in 9.4% of tested isolates, all affiliated with genus Pseudomonas. This study shows that the SML is a potential source of surfactant-resistant and biosurfactant-producing bacteria in which Pseudomonads emerge as a relevant group.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.651-665
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• 2020

Hydrolysis of biomass for the production of fermentable sugar can be improved by the addition of surfactants. In pulp and paper mills, lignin, which is a by-product of the pulping process, can be utilized as a fine chemical. In the hydrolysis process, lignin is one of the major inhibitors of the enzymatic breakdown cellulose into sugar monomer. Therefore, the conversion of lignin into a biosurfactant offers the opportunity to solve the waste problem and improve hydrolysis efficiency. In this study, lignin derivatives, a biosurfactant, was applied to enzymatic hydrolysis of various lignocellulosic biomass. This Biosurfactant can be prepared by reacting lignin with a hydrophilic polymer such as polyethylene glycol diglycidylethers (PEDGE). In this study, the effect of biosurfactants on the enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated sweet sorghum bagasse (SSB), oil palm empty fruit bunch, and sugarcane trash with different lignin contents was investigated. The results show that lignin derivatives improve the enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreated biomass with low lignin content, however, it has less influence on the enzymatic hydrolysis of other pretreated biomass with lignin content higher than 10% (w/w). The use of biosurfactant on SSB kraft pulp can increase the sugar yield from 45.57% to 81.49%.