Solid state biosurfactant production in a fixed-bed column bioreactor.

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Biotechnology
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Biosurfactants are surface-active compounds produced by microorganisms.
• They possess valuable properties for various industrial applications.
• Microbial biosurfactant production is an area of active research for sustainable solutions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate biosurfactant production by Aspergillus fumigatus and Phialemonium sp.
• To investigate the effect of different solid supports and carbon sources on biosurfactant yield.
• To compare water-in-oil (EWo/o) and oil-in-water (Eo/w) emulsifying activities.

Main Methods:

• Solid-state fermentation using fixed-bed column reactors.
• Utilized rice husks (simple support) and rice husks with defatted rice bran (complex support).
• Enriched media with soy oil or diesel oil, varying aeration rates.

Main Results:

• Aspergillus fumigatus achieved a maximum EWo/o of 7.36 EU g(-1) on complex support with soy oil and 60 mL g(-1) h(-1) aeration.
• Phialemonium sp. yielded a maximum Eo/w of 12.21 EU g(-1) on complex support with diesel oil and 60 mL g(-1) h(-1) aeration.
• Different microbial strains, supports, oils, and aeration rates influenced emulsifying activities.

Conclusions:

• Both Aspergillus fumigatus and Phialemonium sp. can produce biosurfactants under solid-state fermentation conditions.
• Optimization of support media, carbon source, and aeration is crucial for maximizing specific emulsifying activities.
• These findings contribute to the development of microbial biosurfactants for industrial applications.