Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

Isolation and screening of microorganisms producing biosurfactants

Volume 64 Issue 2

Chandan S. Deosthali and Ashish Jain

10.6024/jmbai.2022.64.2.2364-13

Abstract

Oil spills can be hazardous for marine life and can cause physiological as well as biochemical damage. Biosurfactants are eco-friendly surface-active compounds, which reduce surface tension at the interface between oil and water and exhibit emulsifying activity. Microorganisms producing biosurfactants are omnipresent and can also be extremophiles. Bushnell and Haas medium is suitable for isolating biosurfactant producers as it allows the selection of carbon sources. From six different oilcontaminated sites, eight morphologically different isolates were generated. These isolates were screened using various assays namely, Haemolysis assay, Phenol: Sulphuric acid assay, Microtitre plate assay, oil displacement assay, emulsification index assay and drop collapse assay. The isolate CD03A was selected as a potent isolate and was identified as Alcaligenes faecalis by 16s-rRNA sequencing. The biosurfactant produced by the organism was subjected to FTIR and results indicated that it might contain alcohol and nitro group along with N-H bend.

Keywords

Biosurfactant, Emulsification Index, Drop collapse assay, oil spill, FTIR

Date : 03-10-2022