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Updated: May 7, 2026

Enhanced Oil Recovery using a Combination of Biosurfactants
Published on: June 3, 2022
Biosurfactant production by rhodococcus erythropolis and its application to oil removal
Graziela Jardim Pacheco1, Elisa Mara Prioli Ciapina, Edelvio de Barros Gomes
1Laboratúrios de Desenvolvimento de Bioprocessos, Departamento de Engenharia Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Faculdade de Química, Centro de Tecnologia , Rio de Janeiro, RJ , Brasil.
Abstract:
The influence of different nutrients on biosurfactant production by Rhodococcus erythropolis was investigated. Increasing the concentration of phosphate buffer from 30 up through 150 mmol/L stimulated an increase in biosurfactant production, which reached a maximum concentration of 285 mg/L in shaken flasks. Statistical analysis showed that glycerol, NaNO3, MgSO4 and yeast extract had significant effects on production. The results were confirmed in a batchwise bioreactor, and semi-growth-associated production was detected. Reduction in the surface tension, which indicates the presence of biosurfactant, reached a value of 38 mN/m at the end of 35 hours. Use of the produced biosurfactant for washing crude oil-contaminated soil showed that 2 and 4 times the critical micellar concentration (CMC) were able to remove 97 and 99% of the oil, respectively, after 1 month of impregnation.
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