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
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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.
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