Maximization of the Production of a Low-Cost Biosurfactant for Application in the Treatment of Soils Contaminated with Hydrocarbons

Oil spills occur during different operations in the energy sector, such as crude oil transport, tank filling and cleaning, and fueling. Such spills are one of the major causes of the accumulation of oil derivatives in the environment, requiring the remediation of soil and marine environments. The production of a biosurfactant by Starmerella bombicola ATCC 222214 was maximized by investigating the effect of different carbon/nitrogen sources and culture conditions. The mineral medium selected for its production was supplemented with 2.0% potato peel flour, 5.0% waste canola frying oil, and 0.20% urea. The culture conditions were a 200 rpm shaking speed, a fermentation time of 180 h, and a 4.0% inoculum size. The yield of isolated biosurfactant was 7.72 g/L. The emulsification rates of heavy oil and motor oil were 65.55 and 95.00%, respectively, indicating an affinity for complex hydrocarbons. In stability tests performed at different pH values, temperatures, and NaCl concentrations, the surface tension ranged from 27.14 to 31.08 mN/m. The critical micelle concentration was 2.0 g/L, at which the surface tension was 33.26 mN/m. The biosurfactant was composed of 6,6-dimethoxy-octanoic acid and azelaic acid, and it exhibited low toxicity to Brassica oleracea and Solanum lycopersicum. In the kinetic test, the biosurfactant allowed for the removal of 82.30%, 96.65%, and 98.25% of exhaust motor oil from sand, silty soil, and clay soil, while in the static test in packed columns, the removal yields were 66.62%, 63.03%, and 58.45%, respectively. The biosurfactant produced in this study is promising for environmental remediation applications in the energy sector.