Effects of carbon and nitrogen sources on rhamnolipid biosurfactant production by Pseudomonas nitroreducens isolated from soil.

Rhamnolipid biosurfactant production by Pseudomonas nitroreducens isolated from petroleum-contaminated soil was investigated. The effects of carbon, nitrogen and carbon to nitrogen ratio on biosurfactant production were examined using mineral salts medium as the growth medium. The tenso-active properties (surface activity and critical micelle concentrations of the produced biosurfactant were also evaluated. The best carbon source, nitrogen source were glucose and sodium nitrate giving rhamnolipid yields of 5.28 and 4.38 g l(-1), respectively. The maximum rhamnolipid production of 5.46 g l(-1) was at C/N (glucose/sodium nitrate) of 22. The rhamnolipid biosurfactant reduced the surface tension of water from 72 to ~37 mN/m. It also has critical micelle concentration of ~28 mg l(-1). Thus, the results presented in our reports show that the produced rhamnolipid can find wide applications in various bioremediation activities such as enhanced oil recovery and petroleum degradation.