1 research outputs found
Assessment of toxicity of a biosurfactant from Candida sphaerica UCP 0995 cultivated with industrial residues in a bioreactor
Background: The aim of the present study was to propose a low-cost
method for the production of a biosurfactant by the yeast Candida
sphaerica and assess its toxicity and phytotoxicity. The medium was
formulated with distilled water supplemented with residue from a soy
oil refinery (5%) and corn steep liquor (2.5%) as substrates. These two
products were the sources of carbon and nitrogen as well as mineral
elements to encourage the growth of the microorganism and production of
a biosurfactant. Results: The isolated biosurfactant yield was 6.364
g/l. The biosurfactant exhibited an excellent ability to reduce surface
tension (26 mN/m) and demonstrated no toxicity against seeds of
Brassica oleracea , Chicoria intybus and Solanum gilo or the micro
crustacean Artemia salina employed as a bioindicator. The
biosurfactant exhibited no antimicrobial activity against the fungi and
bacteria tested. Conclusions: The promising results obtained in this
study indicate the feasibility of producing biosurfactants from
powerful non-toxic organic residues and their application in the
bioremediation of contaminated soil and water