Avaliação do potencial de bactérias para degradar derivados do petróleo e produzir biossurfactantes

Abstract

The present work describes the results of the evaluation of two bacteria strains isolated from the oil polluted effluent, to degrade petroleum derivatives and to produce biosurfactants. Morphologic, cultural, biochemical and physiologic studies showed that these bacteria, previously denominated strain 03 and strain 04, could be identified as Acinetobacter spp. and Bacillus spp., respectively. The biodegradation potential of these bacteria was evaluated by cultivating them in mineral broth, containing, glycerol, gasoline, kerosene or diesel as the only source of carbon and energy. Both bacteria degraded glycerol, gasoline, kerosene and diesel and produced biosurfactants. In general, the bacteria showed better performances at glycerol presence, as confirmed by the measures of cellular density and emulsificant activity, while the diesel was the worst substrate to both bacteria. The biosurfactant production was evaluated by measuring bacteria capacity for emulsificating kerosene. The results showed an emulsification of 50% for the biosurfactants produced from glycerol by the bacteria. Bacillus spp., practically, did not grow and did not produce biosurfactant when cultivated in medium with diesel, surviving, however, in the spore form. The supplementation of that culture with 0.04 % of yeast extract, however, stimulated the growth and biosurfactants production, reaching 95% of emulsification. The results of the analyses of the biosurfactants extracted from the cultures with glycerol, by infrared spectroscopy and carbohydrate and protein analyses, suggest the classes of the liposaccharides and polypeptides for the biosurfactants produced by the bacteria Acinetobacter spp. and Bacillus spp., respectively. These bacteria were shown to be susceptible to heat, being destroyed at the temperature of 46 ºC, at 1,0 mg/L of sodium hypochloride and pH below 5.0. On the other hand, they resisted to 5% NaCl, a desirable characteristic for use in marine bioremediation programs.