The removal of heavy metals (Ni, Cr, Cd) from soil contamination with crude oil using rhamanolipid biosurfactant
Subject Areas : Microbial BiotechnologyNayyereh Kholghi 1 , Hossein Amani 2 , Shokoufe Malek mahmoudi 3 , Alireza Amiri 4
1 - M.Sc. student, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Babol, Iran
2 - Assistant Professor, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Babol, Iran.
3 - Ph.D. student, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Babol, Iran
4 - Assistant Professor, Nanotechnology Research Institute, Babol Noshirvani University of Technology, Babol, Iran.
Keywords: Contaminated soil, Biosurfactant, Rhamnolipid, Heavy metals removal,
Abstract :
Background & Objectives: Crude oil contains significant amounts of heavy metals which could lead to soil contamination. The aim of this study is to evaluate the function of rhomnolipid biosurfactant in the removal of heavy metals (nickel, chromium, and cadmium) from soil contaminated with crude oil. Materials & Methods: In the cross-sectional descriptive study, rhamnolipid biosurfactant was firstly produced from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PTCC1340 and then confirmed through TLC and FTIR experiments. In the next step, sandy soil was sieved at 2 mm and placed in a beaker for contamination with crude oil (API: 32.83, Viscosity: 6.21cp). The contaminated soil was washed with rhamnolipid solution (1:10 ratio) for 24 h in falcon tubes under different conditions such as temperature, pH and concentration. Subsequently, the solution containing the heavy metals was acid digested to release the metals in the form of ion. Finally, the amount of the heavy metals removed by rhamnolipid biosurfactant was measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results: The removal amount of heavy metals from soil contamination at an optimum condition (temperature: 25 ◦C, concentration: 0.8 g/l and pH 11) to nickel, chromium, and cadmium was 43.05%, 34.73%, and 52.81%, respectively. Conclusion: Washing the soil with produced biosurfactant gives rise to the removal of heavy metals without having detrimental effects of the chemical surfactants and subsequently reduces the environmental hazards. In accordance with the outcomes of the research, the method is highly suggested to industries to eliminate the heavy metals from crude oil using biosurfactants.
river sediment using biosurfactant rhamnolipid. Environ Sci Pollut Res. 2017; 24(19):
16344-16350.
2. Henkel M, Geissler M, Weggenmann F, Hausmann R. Production of microbial biosurfactants:
Status quo of rhamnolipid and surfactin towards large-scale production. Biotechnol J. 2017;
12(7): 1-10.
3. Aghajani M, Rahimpour A, Amani H, Taherzadeh M. Rhamnolipid as new bio‐agent for
cleaning of ultrafiltration membrane fouled by whey. Eng Life Sci. 2018; 18(5): 272-280.
4. Mao X, Jiang R, Xiao W, Yu J. Use of surfactants for the remediation of contaminated soils: a
review. J Hazard Mater. 2015; 285: 419-435.
5. Das P, Mukherjee S, Sen R. Antiadhesive action of a marine microbial surfactant. Colloids Surf
B. 2009; 71(2): 183-186.
6. Mulligan CN, Wang S. Remediation of a heavy metal-contaminated soil by a rhamnolipid
foam. Eng Geol. 2006; 85(1-2): 75-81.
7. Singh A, Van Hamme JD, Ward OP. Surfactants in microbiology and biotechnology: Part 2.
Application aspects. Biotechnol Adv. 2007; 25(1): 99-121.
8. Hazra C, Kundu D, Chaudhari A. Biosurfactant-assisted bioaugmentation in bioremediation.
Microorganisms in Environmental Management: Springer; 2012. p. 631-664.
9. Swarnkar V, Agrawal N, Tomar R. Sorption of chromate and arsenate by surfactant modified
erionite (E-SMZ). J Dispersion Sci Technol. 2012; 33(6): 919-927.
10. Kitamoto D, Isoda H, Nakahara T. Functions and potential applications of glycolipid
biosurfactants from energy-saving materials to gene delivery carriers. J Biosci Bioeng. 2002;
94(3): 187-201.
11. Das AJ, Lal S, Kumar R, Verma C. Bacterial biosurfactants can be an ecofriendly and
advanced technology for remediation of heavy metals and co-contaminated soil. Int J Environ
Sci Technol. 2017; 14: 1343-1354.
12. Hidayati N, Surtiningsih T, Matuzahroh N. Removal of heavy metals Pb, Zn and Cu from
sludge waste of paper industries using biosurfactant. J Bioremed Biodeg. 2014; 5(7): 1-3.
13. Urum K, Pekdemir T. Evaluation of biosurfactants for crude oil contaminated soil washing.
Chemosphere. 2004; 57(9): 1139-1150.
14. Wen J, Stacey SP, McLaughlin MJ, Kirby JK. Biodegradation of rhamnolipid, EDTA and
citric acid in cadmium and zinc contaminated soils. Soil Bio Biochem. 2009; 41(10):
2214-2221.
15. Rahman PK, Gakpe E. Production, characterisation and applications of biosurfactants :Review.
Biotechnol. 2008; 7(2): 360-370.
16. Schmidberger A, Henkel M, Hausmann R, Schwartz T. Expression of genes involved in
rhamnolipid synthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 in a bioreactor cultivation. Appl
Microbiol Biotechnol. 2013; 97: 5779-5791.
17. Lan G, Fan Q, Liu Y, Chen C, Li G, Yin X. Rhamnolipid production from waste cooking oil
using Pseudomonas SWP-4. Biochem Eng J. 2015; 101: 44-54.
18. Zhai X, Li Z, Huang B, Luo N, Huang M, Zhang Q. Remediation of multiple heavy
metal-contaminated soil through the combination of soil washing and in situ immobilization.
Sci Total Environ. 2018; 635: 92-99.
19. Alsaleh KA, Meuser H, Usman AR, Al-Wabel MI, Al-Farraj AS. A comparison of two
digestion methods for assessing heavy metals level in urban soils influenced by mining and
industrial activities. J Environ Manage. 2018; 206: 731-739.
20. Kisser MI. Digestion of solid matrices Part 1: Digestion with aqua regia report of evaluation
study. Time (min). 2005; 2: 250.
21. Hošková M, Schreiberová O, Ježdík R, Chudoba J, Masák J, Sigler K. Characterization of
rhamnolipids produced by non-pathogenic Acinetobacter and Enterobacter bacteria. Bioresour
Technol. 2013; 130: 510-516.
22. Lan G, Fan Q, Liu Y, Chen C, Li G, Liu Y,Yin X. Rhamnolipid production from waste
cooking oil using Pseudomonas SWP-4. Biochem Eng J. 2015; 101: 44-54.
23. Champion JT, Gilkey JC, Lamparski H, Retterer J, Miller RM. Electron microscopy of
rhamnolipid (biosurfactant) morphology: effects of pH, cadmium, and octadecane. J Colloid
Interface Sci. 1995; 170(2): 569-574.
24. Dahrazma B, Mulligan CN. Investigation of the removal of heavy metals from sediments using
rhamnolipid in a continuous flow configuration. Chemosphere. 2007; 69(5): 705-711.
25. Urum K, Pekdemir T, Çopur M. Surfactants treatment of crude oil contaminated soils. J
Colloid interface Sci. 2004; 276(2): 456-464.
_||_
river sediment using biosurfactant rhamnolipid. Environ Sci Pollut Res. 2017; 24(19):
16344-16350.
2. Henkel M, Geissler M, Weggenmann F, Hausmann R. Production of microbial biosurfactants:
Status quo of rhamnolipid and surfactin towards large-scale production. Biotechnol J. 2017;
12(7): 1-10.
3. Aghajani M, Rahimpour A, Amani H, Taherzadeh M. Rhamnolipid as new bio‐agent for
cleaning of ultrafiltration membrane fouled by whey. Eng Life Sci. 2018; 18(5): 272-280.
4. Mao X, Jiang R, Xiao W, Yu J. Use of surfactants for the remediation of contaminated soils: a
review. J Hazard Mater. 2015; 285: 419-435.
5. Das P, Mukherjee S, Sen R. Antiadhesive action of a marine microbial surfactant. Colloids Surf
B. 2009; 71(2): 183-186.
6. Mulligan CN, Wang S. Remediation of a heavy metal-contaminated soil by a rhamnolipid
foam. Eng Geol. 2006; 85(1-2): 75-81.
7. Singh A, Van Hamme JD, Ward OP. Surfactants in microbiology and biotechnology: Part 2.
Application aspects. Biotechnol Adv. 2007; 25(1): 99-121.
8. Hazra C, Kundu D, Chaudhari A. Biosurfactant-assisted bioaugmentation in bioremediation.
Microorganisms in Environmental Management: Springer; 2012. p. 631-664.
9. Swarnkar V, Agrawal N, Tomar R. Sorption of chromate and arsenate by surfactant modified
erionite (E-SMZ). J Dispersion Sci Technol. 2012; 33(6): 919-927.
10. Kitamoto D, Isoda H, Nakahara T. Functions and potential applications of glycolipid
biosurfactants from energy-saving materials to gene delivery carriers. J Biosci Bioeng. 2002;
94(3): 187-201.
11. Das AJ, Lal S, Kumar R, Verma C. Bacterial biosurfactants can be an ecofriendly and
advanced technology for remediation of heavy metals and co-contaminated soil. Int J Environ
Sci Technol. 2017; 14: 1343-1354.
12. Hidayati N, Surtiningsih T, Matuzahroh N. Removal of heavy metals Pb, Zn and Cu from
sludge waste of paper industries using biosurfactant. J Bioremed Biodeg. 2014; 5(7): 1-3.
13. Urum K, Pekdemir T. Evaluation of biosurfactants for crude oil contaminated soil washing.
Chemosphere. 2004; 57(9): 1139-1150.
14. Wen J, Stacey SP, McLaughlin MJ, Kirby JK. Biodegradation of rhamnolipid, EDTA and
citric acid in cadmium and zinc contaminated soils. Soil Bio Biochem. 2009; 41(10):
2214-2221.
15. Rahman PK, Gakpe E. Production, characterisation and applications of biosurfactants :Review.
Biotechnol. 2008; 7(2): 360-370.
16. Schmidberger A, Henkel M, Hausmann R, Schwartz T. Expression of genes involved in
rhamnolipid synthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 in a bioreactor cultivation. Appl
Microbiol Biotechnol. 2013; 97: 5779-5791.
17. Lan G, Fan Q, Liu Y, Chen C, Li G, Yin X. Rhamnolipid production from waste cooking oil
using Pseudomonas SWP-4. Biochem Eng J. 2015; 101: 44-54.
18. Zhai X, Li Z, Huang B, Luo N, Huang M, Zhang Q. Remediation of multiple heavy
metal-contaminated soil through the combination of soil washing and in situ immobilization.
Sci Total Environ. 2018; 635: 92-99.
19. Alsaleh KA, Meuser H, Usman AR, Al-Wabel MI, Al-Farraj AS. A comparison of two
digestion methods for assessing heavy metals level in urban soils influenced by mining and
industrial activities. J Environ Manage. 2018; 206: 731-739.
20. Kisser MI. Digestion of solid matrices Part 1: Digestion with aqua regia report of evaluation
study. Time (min). 2005; 2: 250.
21. Hošková M, Schreiberová O, Ježdík R, Chudoba J, Masák J, Sigler K. Characterization of
rhamnolipids produced by non-pathogenic Acinetobacter and Enterobacter bacteria. Bioresour
Technol. 2013; 130: 510-516.
22. Lan G, Fan Q, Liu Y, Chen C, Li G, Liu Y,Yin X. Rhamnolipid production from waste
cooking oil using Pseudomonas SWP-4. Biochem Eng J. 2015; 101: 44-54.
23. Champion JT, Gilkey JC, Lamparski H, Retterer J, Miller RM. Electron microscopy of
rhamnolipid (biosurfactant) morphology: effects of pH, cadmium, and octadecane. J Colloid
Interface Sci. 1995; 170(2): 569-574.
24. Dahrazma B, Mulligan CN. Investigation of the removal of heavy metals from sediments using
rhamnolipid in a continuous flow configuration. Chemosphere. 2007; 69(5): 705-711.
25. Urum K, Pekdemir T, Çopur M. Surfactants treatment of crude oil contaminated soils. J
Colloid interface Sci. 2004; 276(2): 456-464.
