STUDY OF BIOSURFACTANT PRODUCING BACTERIA AND PRELIMINARY CHARACTERIZATION OF BIOSURFACTNAT PRODUCED BY BACILLUS species ISOLATED FROM PETROLEUM CONTAMINATED SOIL

Abstract

Chemically synthesized amphiphilic molecules like surfactants are used for variety of purposes, but they are costly and less or non-degradable and may be toxic once released in the environment. Microbially produced biosurfactants are better alternatives of chemical surfactants as they are stable as well as easily biodegradable and also due to structural and functional similarities with chemical surfactants. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize biosurfactant producing bacteria from oil contaminated sample (garage soil, Anand, Gujarat). Thirty bacterial cultures were isolated on the basis of differences in their colony characters. To confirm and compare the efficiency of biosurfactant production, hemolytic activity and reduction in surface tension was analyzed. Biochemical and morphological tests identified bacterial isolate C5C (Gram positive rods arranged in short chains) as Bacillus species. Optimum pH and temperature for biosurfactant production were 5 and 30oC, respectively. It produced 3.12 g/l of biosurfactant in MSM medium with 1% diesel as carbon source. Biosurfactant produced by C5C contains lipid. No carbohydrates or amino acid component was detected on TLC plate.