Optimización de Bioprocesos Integrados a Partir de Cepas Aisladas de Áreas Crónicamente Contaminadas con Hidrocarburos para la Obtención de Biosurfactantes

Abstract

THydrocarbon-degrading strains were isolated from polluted areas in Campana (Bs.As). Isolation was performed by enrichment cultures in a mineral saline medium (MSM) containing a mixture of commercial hydrocarbons (HC) as
carbon source. The ability of these strains to produce biosurfactants was estimated by direct measurement of the surface tension (ST). One of them, AgHC belonging to Pseudomonas spp., would have a potential use in biosurfactant production. Experiments were carried out in Erlenmeyer flasks cultured for 48h in MSM supplemented with glucose or glycerol as carbon source. Next, biomass produced with each substrate was transferred to fresh MSM supplemented with HC during 72h. Biomass and biosurfactant production were estimated. Results showed that AgHC was able to grow using all the carbon sources tested. Regarding ST measurement, the minimum value was obtained when the bacteria grew on glucose and glycerol. No significant decrease was observed on ST value when HC was used.