Evaluation of cashew apple juice for surfactin production by Bacillus subtilis LAMI008.

Bacillus subtilis LAMI008 strain isolated from the tank of Chlorination at the Wastewater Treatment Plant on Campus do Pici in Federal University of Ceará, Brazil has been screened for surfactin production in mineral medium containing clarified cashew apple juice (MM-CAJC). Results were compared with the ones obtained using mineral medium with glucose PA as carbon source. The influence on growth and surfactin production of culture medium supplementation with yeast extract was also studied. The substrate concentration analysis indicated that B. subtilis LAMI008 was able to degrade all carbon sources studied and produce biosurfactant. The highest reduction in surface tension was achieved with the fermentation of MM-CAJC, supplemented with yeast extract, which decreased from 58.95 +/- 0.10 to 38.10 +/- 0.81 dyn cm(-1). The biosurfactant produced was capable of emulsifying kerosene, achieving an emulsification index of 65%. Surfactin concentration of 3.5 mg L(-1) was obtained when MM-CAJC, supplemented with yeast extract, was used, thus indicating that it is feasible to produce surfactin from clarified cashew apple juice, a renewable and low-cost carbon source.