RANJANA KHADEA AND DEBJANI DASGUPTAB
Abstract
Ochrobactium anthropi was isolated from oil contaminated soil collected from near an oil refinery in Navi Mumbai, India. It was found to yield biosurfactant optimally in mineral salt medium with 2% glucose and 2% hexadecane added after 18 hours of inoculation. Ammonium nitrate was found to be the best nitrogen source for biosurfactant production. The optimum and temperature for biosurfactant production were found to be 6.5 and 30"C respectively with agitation. Under ideal conditions, 2.5 gL-' of crude surfactant was obtained after 72 hours. Preliminary chemical characterization revealed the glycolipid nature of biosurfactant which retained its properties during exposure to wide range of temperatures, pH values and NaC1 concentrations. The surfactant was capable of forming stable emulsions with several aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons indicating its potential in bioremediation.