Comparative Analysis of Microbially Mediated Oil Recovery By Surfactants Produced by Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus subtilis

Microbiological Production of Surfactant From Agricultural Residuals for IOR Application

“…Literature reports the production of surfactin by B. subtilis in mid to late log phase. 10,18,19 Although this work is consistent with those observations, the bulk of surfactin production by B. subtilis while growing on process effluents was produced in late log phase or very early stationary phase. This was manifested by the observation that the final concentrations of surfactin at 72 h (well into stationary phase) were always well in excess of the CMC.…”

“…23 Previous studies at the INEEL demonstrated the utility of starch as a viable feedstock for surfactant production. 10 A preliminary screening of five commercially available starches (corn, potato, rice, soluble and wheat) was performed in a mineral salts medium described by Sheppard and Cooper,24 modified such that the glucose carbon source was substituted. Purified starch components used in media preparation were purchased from Sigma Chemical.…”

“…Previous work at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) demonstrated the feasibility of producing surfactin in cultures of Bacillus subtilis grown on soluble starch 1,10 as well as the utility of applying biosurfactants to IOR. 10,11,12,13 Since that time, we have demonstrated the ability to produce surfactin from agricultural process effluents, 2 described the impact of effluent pretreatment, 3 and evaluated the application of novel reactor configurations 4 for production and separation from actual process effluents.…”

“…10,11,12,13 Since that time, we have demonstrated the ability to produce surfactin from agricultural process effluents, 2 described the impact of effluent pretreatment, 3 and evaluated the application of novel reactor configurations 4 for production and separation from actual process effluents.…”