Rhamnolipid biosurfactant production

Dusane, D., Rehman, T, Zinzarde, S., Venugopalan, V, McLean, R., Weber, M. Quorum sensing, implication on rhamnolipid biosurfactant production. Biotech. Genetic Eng. Rev. 2010,27, 159-184. 

The alkane rc-tetradecane was found to have significant effect on desulfurization ability, with the rate being 10 times more than that obtained when using glucose for biocatalyst growth. This effect was associated with production of rhamnolipids by the strain. However, the mechanism by which alkane actually enhances desulfurization activity, whether it is by assisting in biosurfactant production or by some other mechanism was not reported. However, this biocatalyst was found to be active for only a short period (4h) during its desulfurization test with oils. 

Production of a rhamnolipid biosurfactant by cells of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain BN 10 immobilized into PEO and PAAm cryogels was investigated under semicontinuous shake flask conditions and compared to biosurfactant secretion by free cells [33]. The yield of rhamnolipids in the immobilized system exceeded that of the free bacterial cells, distinguishing an effective bioprocess. The polymer matrices possessed chemical and biological stability and very good physico-mechanical characteristics, which are prerequisites for a high life span of these materials for the production of rhamnolipids. 

ReUing HE,Thanei-wyss U, Guerra-Santos LH, Hirt R, Kappeh O, Fiechter A. Pilot plant production of rhamnolipid biosurfactant by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Appl Environ Microbiol 1986 51 985—9. 

Arino S, Marchal R, Vandecasteele JP (1996) Identification and production of a rhamnolipidic biosurfactant by a Pseudomonas species. Appl Microbiol... 

Nitschke, M., Pasture, G. M. Production and properties of a surfactant obtained from Bacillus subtilis grown on cassava wastewater. Bioresource Technol. 2006, 97, 336-341. Ochoa-Loza, F. J., Noordman, W. H., Jannsen, D. B., Brusseau, M. L., Maier, R. M. Effect of clays, metal oxides and organic matter on rhamnolipid biosurfactant sorption by soil. 

Besides FOR the other largest application of biosurfactants is in remediation of oil spills and in the removal of oil sludges from storage tanks. Rhamnolipid-based products like BIOREM and SLUDGER are now available in the market. 

Gruber, T., Chmiel, H., Kappeli, O. et al. (1993) Integrated process forcontinuous rhamnolipid biosynthesis, in Biosurfactants, Production, Properties, Applications, Surfactant Science Series, vol. 48 (ed. N. Kosaric), Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 

Many biosurfactants and their productive processes were patented, but only some of them were commercialized. Nowadays, some products based in biosurfactants can be found at the international market, like PD5, produeed by Pendragon Holdings, sold as an addietive for fuels based on a mixture of rhanmolipid biosurfactants and enzymes, EC-601, produced by EcoChem Organics, sold as a dispersive agent of water-insoluble hydrocarbons (rhanmolipids) and the products JBR, of Jeneil Biosurfactant, rhamnolipids in aqueous solutions with different purity degrees or in a semisolid form. 

In this context, the main objective of this work was the evaluation of the DO concentration influence along fermentation in the production of biosurfactants (rhamnolipid type) using glycerol (byproduct of the biodiesel production) as the carbon source. The... 

Biosurfactants are useful in contaminant biodegradation because biosurfactants enhance HOC bioavailability by increasing HOC aqueous solubility Ju and Elektorowicz (2000) used rhamnolipids produced by P. aeruginosa to enhance electrokinetic remediation of phenanthrene-contaminated soil. This study showed the potential for on-site production of biosurfactant that was then directly introduced to the electrokinetic cell. Biosurfactants thus show promise as enhancers of biodegradation and for the solubilization and desorption of PAHs in electrokinetic processes. 

More recently, bacteria isolated from Atlantic Forest soil in Brazil were evaluated for the production of rhamnolipids and PHAmcl. Among the isolates, 26 have produced anionic biosurfactant and 57 have produced PHA. Some strains synthesized both compounds simultaneously. 

Recently, four microbially derived biosurfactants—rhamnolipids, sophoro-lipids, spiculisporic acid and surfactin—are commercially available. Nevertheless, the use of biosurfactants is limited by the cost of production and insufficient experience in applications. However, since there is increasing awareness of water quality and environmental conservation, as well as expanding demand for natural products in cosmetics or in pharmaceutical products, it appears inevitable that high-quality microbially produced biosurfactants will replace the currently used chemical products in many applications outlined above. In addition, in the future chemically or bio-... 

Sophorolipids may be produced on substrates that are, in part, directly incorporated into the molecule as the hydrophobic moiety, as opposed to, for example, rhanmoUpids where the biosynthesis occurs with the de novo synthesis of the hydrophobic part. Specifically, when providing C. bombicola with oleic acid and an otherwise suitable medium, the yeast will incorporate this fatty acid into a sophorolipid. By contrast, when capric acid is provided to Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the fatty acid is not directly converted into a rhamnolipid but is metabolized instead. The possibility of direct incorporation is a clear indication as to why sophorolipid production is among the highest of all biosurfactants. 

An unpublished cradle-to-gate life cycle analysis (LCA) study subcontracted to Vito (Mol, Belgium) tried to identify environmental bottlenecks of rhamnolipid and sophorolipid production and compare them with those of market reference surfactants according to the ISO 1404x series. Experimental data for the pilot plant scale were complemented with LCA data from the Vito database as well as literature data for the upscaled production scenario. In order to compare the environmental profile of these biosurfactants with market reference surfactants data were used from Zah and Hischier [18]. The Eco-Indicator 99 methodology [19] was used to determine environmental impacts. 

Rhamnolipids have been commercialized by Jeneil Biosurfactant Company, which put a lot of effort into achieving administrative approval of rhamnolipid use as pesticide adjuvants and for poultry hygiene. Aurora Advanced Beauty Labs Inc. has a substantial intellectual property (IP) portfolio in the domain of rhamnolipid use for pharmaceutical applications and announced that it was introducing various cosmetic products such as antiwrinkle creams, moisturisers, beauty treatment products and skin protection ointments. 

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