Abstract
This study deals with production and characterization of biosurfactant from renewable resources by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Biosurfactant production was carried out in 3L fermentor using waste motor lubricant oil and peanut oil cake. Maximum biomass (11.6 mg/ml) and biosurfactant production (8.6 mg/ml) occurred with peanut oil cake at 120 and 132 h respectively. Characterization of the biosurfactant revealed that, it is a lipopeptide with chemical composition of protein (50.2%) and lipid (49.8%). The biosurfactant (1 mg/ml) was able to emulsify waste motor lubricant oil, crude oil, peanut oil, kerosene, diesel, xylene, naphthalene and anthracene, comparatively the emulsification activity was higher than the activity found with Triton X-100 (1 mg/ml). Results obtained in the present study showed the possibility of biosurfactant production using renewable, relatively inexpensive and easily available resources. Emulsification activity found with the biosurfactant against different hydrocarbons showed its possible application in bioremediation of environments polluted with various hydrocarbons.