Production of rhamnolipids in solid-state cultivation using a mixture of sugarcane bagasse and corn bran supplemented with glycerol and soybean oil

• Published in: Applied microbiology and biotechnology 2011-03, Vol.89 (5), p.1395-1403
• Main Authors: Camilios-Neto, Doumit, Bugay, Cryshelen, de Santana-Filho, Arquimedes Paixão, Joslin, Talita, de Souza, Lauro Mera, Sassaki, Guilherme Lanzi, Mitchell, David Alexander, Krieger, Nadia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bagasse; Biodegradation; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Bioremediation; Biosurfactants; Biotechnological Products and Process Engineering; Biotechnology; Cellulose - metabolism; Corn bran; Cultivation; Dietary Fiber; Enhanced oil recovery; Factorial experiments; Fermentation; Foaming; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glycerol; Glycerol - metabolism; Glycolipids - metabolism; Life Sciences; Methods. Procedures. Technologies; Microbial engineering. Fermentation and microbial culture technology; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Microbiology; Production costs; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pseudomonas aeruginosa - metabolism; Rhamnolipids; Saccharum; Seeds; solid state fermentation; Solid-state cultivation; Soybean oil; Soybean Oil - metabolism; Soybeans; Studies; Sugarcane; Surfactants; Toxicity; Vegetable oils; Zea mays
• ISSN: 0175-7598; 1432-0614
• DOI: 10.1007/s00253-010-2987-3

Rhamnolipid biosurfactants are attracting attention due to their low toxicity, high biodegradability, and good ecological acceptability. However, production in submerged culture is made difficult by severe foaming problems. Solid-state cultivation (SSC) is a promising alternative production method. In the current work, we report the optimization of rhamnolipid production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa UFPEDA 614 on a solid substrate containing sugarcane bagasse and corn bran. The best rhamnolipid production, 45 g/l of impregnating solution used, was obtained with a 50:50 (m/m) mixture of sugarcane bagasse and corn bran supplemented with an impregnating solution containing 6% (v/v) of each of glycerol and soybean oil. This level is comparable with those of previous studies undertaken in solid-state cultivation; the composition of the biosurfactant is similar, but our medium is cheaper. Our work therefore provides a suitable basis for future studies of the development of an SSC-based process for rhamnolipid production.