Ecotoxicity of the formulated biosurfactant from Pseudomonas cepacia CCT 6659 and application in the bioremediation of terrestrial and aquatic environments impacted by oil spills

Dispersants with a low environmental impact are necessary for oil spill remediation. Thus, the biosurfactant produced by the bacterium Pseudomonas cepacia CCT6659 using industrial waste and formulated using a method of adding food preservative was evaluated for its toxicity against the vegetable Allium cepa and aquatic species such as the freshwater fish Poecilia vivipara and the bivalve Anomalocardia brasiliana. The biosurfactant was also applied in the removal of hydrophobic contaminant in sand and soils, in sea stones, in the dispersion and in the bioremediation of oil in seawater. The surfactant was considered to be of low toxicity for the bioindicators evaluated. As a petroderivative removal agent, the formulated tensoactive reached 76.55 % removal in soil and 84.50 % in sea stones. The biosurfactant was able to disperse 96.00 % of oil in seawater and promoted an increase in the biodegradation of oil by 70.00 % during a bioremediation process carried out in seawater. Therefore, the formulated biosurfactant presents suitable conditions for application as a dispersing agent in the decontamination of terrestrial and aquatic environments impacted by oil spills in substitution of chemical and toxic compounds. (c) 2021 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The biosurfactant produced by Pseudomonas cepacia CCT6659 showed excellent dispersing and biodegradation effects in the decontamination of terrestrial and aquatic environments impacted by oil spills, with low toxicity.