Application of a biosurfactant from Pseudomonas cepacia CCT 6659 in bioremediation and metallic corrosion inhibition processes.

Biosurfactants are capable of meeting the challenges of the oil industry by reducing its social, economic, and environmental impacts. The aim of the present study was to produce a biosurfactant from Pseudomonas cepacia CCT6659 in 2.0-L and 5.0-L bioreactors and evaluate its long-term stability over 120 days of storage. Ecotoxicological tests were performed with Artemia salina larvae during the use of the biosurfactant to increase in solubilisation of heavy oil in seawater compared to the use of a chemical surfactant. The biosurfactant was also applied as a bioremediation agent for sand contaminated with a petroleum product and as an inhibitor of corrosion on metallic surfaces. A concentration of 35.0 g/L of the biosurfactant was achieved in the 5.0-L reactor and low toxicity to the bioindicator was found, with an approximate 40% reduction in the mortality rate compared to the chemical surfactant. The stability of the biosurfactant was demonstrated by the maintenance of its tensioactive properties throughout the entire storage period. Besides its advantageous bioremediating capacity, with the removal of 94.5% of oil from sand, the biosurfactant proved to be an effective inhibitor of both metallic corrosion and microbial biofilm, with minimal loss of mass (15.7%) compared to the control condition, demonstrating its potential for industrial applications.