PRODUCTION OF BIOSURFACTANTS FROM TWO BACILLUS SPECIES

PRODUCTION OF BIOSURFACTANTS FROM TWO
BACILLUS SPECIES
MOHAMED SIFOUR* HOURIA OULED-HADDAR*
AND GHAZI MUNIM AZIZ
Dep. Biotechnology College of science University of Baghdad
Key word: Biotechnology, Biosurfactant production, Microbial isolation emulsification activity.
ABSTRACT
When oil is spilled in marine environment, the lighter hydrocarbon components
volatilize while the polar hydrocarbon components dissolve in water. However, because of
low solubility of oil, most of the oil components will remain on the water surface.
Surfactants enhance degradation by dispersing and emulsifying hydrocarbons
The production of biosurfactant from two bacterial isolates Bacillus licheniformis (B5)
and B. subtilis (B6) was investigated. The B5 isolate was an efficient producer. Maximum
production of biosurfactants from both strains was obtained when using glucose and
glutamic acid as carbon and nitrogen sources respectively. The two isolates were unable to
grow on water immiscible sunflower oil; a lower growth was shown on crude oil as sole
carbon source. The biosurfactant produced by B6 had a high emulsification activity with
sunflower oil and the product of B5 had a high activity with corn oil, it also had a good
emulsification activity with sunflower oil, crude oil and waste oil. Results showed that
Mg
++
concentration had an effect on the emulsification activity of the two isolates product