Surface-active properties of rhamnolipids from Pseudomonas aeruginosa GS3.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa GS3 produced rhamnolipid biosurfactants during growth on carbohydrates, higher chain length n-alkanes and l-alkenes, petroleum crude oil and vegetable oils. With glucose as the substrate, maximum surfactant production (0.44 g/l) was observed during the stationary phase of growth. Partially purified rhamnolipids showed excellent surface-active properties in terms of reduction in the interfacial tension between them and a variety of hydrocarbons, hydrocarbon mixtures and vegetable oils and formation of stable emulsion.