abstract
Almost all knowledge about bacterial production of biosurfactants (BSFs) is limited to aerobic conditions. However, it is also known that bacteria can produce BSFs under oxygen-limiting conditions. These substances may be involved in important environmental processes (e.g. formation of gas hydrates and biofilms) or be applied in biotechnological processes (e.g. bioremediation and microbial enhancement of oil recovery, MEOR). Up to now, only few bacteria are described with the ability to produce BSFs under microaerobic and anaerobic conditions. Most of them belong to the Bacillus and Pseudomonas genera. However, BSF production under oxygen limitation has been detected in other bacterial groups (e.g. Anaerophaga and Thermoanaerobacter) involving different biosynthetic pathways. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on growth requirements, cultivation conditions and properties of BSFs produced under oxygen-limiting conditions. In addition, we discuss the potential applications of microaerophilic and anaerobic BSF-producing bacteria in the perspective of bioremediation or MEOR strategies, energy and industry.
keywords
ENHANCED OIL-RECOVERY; PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA BIOFILMS; BACILLUS-LICHENIFORMIS JF-2; POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC-HYDROCARBONS; SULFATE-REDUCING BACTERIA; RHAMNOLIPID PRODUCTION; LIPOPEPTIDE BIOSURFACTANT; DENITRIFYING CONDITIONS; PETROLEUM RESERVOIR; SUBTILIS ATCC6633
subject category
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology; Environmental Sciences & Ecology
authors
Domingues, PM; Almeida, A; Leal, LS; Gomes, NCM; Cunha, A
our authors
Luísa Seuanes Serafim
Assistant Professor
Patrícia Maia Domingues
PhD Studentacknowledgements
Financial support for this work was provided by CESAM-Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (FCT UID/AMB/50017/2013), CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007679 (FCT UID/CTM/50011/2013) and the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the form of a PhD Grant to P. M. Domingues (SFRH/BD/88162/2012).