Effects of visible and UV light on the characteristics and properties of crude oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions

The effects of visible and UV light on the characteristics and properties of Prudhoe Bay (PB) and South Louisiana (SL) emulsions were investigated to better understand the role of sunlight on the fate of spilled crude oils that form emulsions with a dispersant in the aquatic environment. Before irradiation, crude oil emulsions showed the presence of dispersed crude oil micelles in a continuous water phase and crude oil components floating on the surface. The crude oil micelles decreased in size with irradiation, but emulsions retained their high degree of polydispersity. UV irradiation reduced the stability of emulsions more effectively than visible light. The reduction of micelles size caused the viscosity of emulsions to increase and melting point to decrease. Further, irradiation increased acid concentrations and induced ion formation which lowered the pH and increased the conductivity of emulsions, respectively. Ni and Fe in PB emulsions were extracted from crude oil with UV irradiation, which may provide an efficient process for metal removal. The emulsions were stable toward freeze/thaw cycles and their melting temperatures generally decreased with irradiation. Evidence of ˙OH production existed when emulsions were exposed to UV but not to visible light. The presence of H(2)O(2) enhanced the photodegradation of crude oil. Overall, the changes in emulsion properties were attributed to direct photodegradation and photooxidation of crude oil components.     

Production of biosurfactants by a mixed bacteria population grown in continuous culture on crude oil

Summary Large amounts (3 g.l^–1) of tensio-active substances can be produced continuously and recuperated using a tangential-flow filtration device. These compounds can emulsify crude oil and the emulsions, obtained with a crude oil over biosurfactants ratio of 500, remain stable for hours.     

Deemulsification of petroleum W/O emulsions by selected bacterial and yeast cells

Summary Using cells ofCorynebacterium petrophilum andTorulopsis bombicola petroleum water-in-oil emulsions could be broken. The rate of deemulsification increased with an increase in cell concentration. Both ethanol and toluene are good cell carriers but water can not be used for this purpose.     

Biosurfactant production by two isolates ofPseudomonas aeruginosa

Two strains of biosurfactant-producing bacteria, identified asPseudomonas aeruginosa, were isolated from injection water and crude oil-associated water in Venezuelan oil fields. Both biosurfactants resembled rhamnolipids and produced stable emulsions of heavy and extra-heavy crude oils, reducing the surface tension of water from 72 to 28 dynes/cm. Tenso-active properties of the biosurfactants were not affected by pH, temperature, salinity or Ca²⁺ or Mg²⁺ at concentrations in excess of those found in many oil reservoirs in Venezuela.     

Screening and Evaluation of Biosurfactant-Producing Strains Isolated from Oilfield Wastewater

The six biosurfactant-producing strains, isolated from oilfield wastewater in Daqing oilfield, were screened. The production of biosurfactant was verified by measuring the diameter of the oil spreading, measuring the surface tension value and emulsifying capacity against xylene, n-pentane, kerosene and crude oil. The experimental result showed three strains (S2, S3, S6) had the better surface activity. Among the three strains, the best results were achieved when using S2 strain. The diameter of the oil spreading of the biosurfactant produced by S2 strain was 14 cm, its critical micelle concentration (CMC) was 21.8 mg/l and the interfacial tension between crude oil and biosurfactant solution produced by S2 strain reduced to 25.7 mN/m. The biosurfactant produced by S2 strain was capable of forming stable emulsions with various hydrocarbons, such as xylene, n-pentane, kerosene and crude oil. After S2 strain treatment, the reduction rate of oil viscosity was 51 % and oil freezing point reduced by 4 °C.     

Production of glucoamylase by 2-deoxy-D-glucose resistant mutant ofAspergillus terreus 4

Summary A catabolite derepressed mutant of a glucoamylolytic strain ofAspergillus terreus 4 produced 1.8 times more glucoamylase than its parent; the crude enzyme preparation appreciably degraded raw starchy materials like wheat, rice, potato and barley.     

Production of 2-keto-3-deoxygluconate by immobilized cells of Sulfolobus solfataricus

Summary 2-Keto-3-deoxygluconate, an intermediate of glucose breakdown inSulfolobus solfataricus, was produced by enzymic dehydration of gluconate using whole cells of the micro-organism immobilized in crude egg white. The degradation of 2-keto-3-deoxygluconate to pyruvate and glyceraldehyde was avoided by inhibiting the aldolase activity in the cells by sodium borohydride treatment.     

Growth of selected fungi on leaf-protein supernatant

Summary Some 19 strains ofAspergillus niger,A. oryzae, andPaccilomyces spp. are tested for their ability to grow on the supernatant remaining after the expressed juice from sugar beet tops and meadow grass has been heat-treated to precipitate crude leaf protein, and supplemented as required by glucose or ammonium sulphate. With effective strains ofA. niger,A. oryzae,P. elegans orP. variotii and an optimized carbohydrate/nitrogen ratio, over 70% of the organic content of the supernatant is rapidly converted into mycelial biomass of high protein content.     

Effects of Lecithin Addition in Oil or Water Phase on the Stability of Emulsions Made with Whey Proteins

The effects of lecithin addition in oil or water phase on the stability of oil-in-water emulsions made with 0.1 wt% whey protein and 10 wt% n-tetradecane at neutral and acidic pH were studied by monitoring the gravitational creaming and phase separation. The effects of lecithin addition on the interfacial behavior of β-lactoglobulin were also studied to compare with the results of emulsion stability. At neutral pH, crude phosphatidylcholine (PC) from egg yolk or soybean increased the stability of the emulsion made with protein and lowered the interfacial tension of protein films more effectively than pure egg PC. A more remarkable effect on both the emulsion stability and the interfacial tension was found when crude PC was added in the oil phase rather than in the water phase. The purity of lecithins and the way to add them are suggested to be very important to make a stable emulsion with protein. On acidic pH (4.5 or 3.0), the increased creaming or phase separation in a whey protein-stabilized emulsion, but the lowered interfacial tension of β-lactoglobulin films, were found upon the addition of pure or crude PC in oil or water phase. These results suggest that in acidic pH, densely packed films may be formed on a planar oil–water interface, but not on adsorbed layers around oil droplets in an emulsion.     

Biomass protein formation by filamentous fungi on woody substrates

Summary Growth and biomass protein formation by filamentous fungi grown on pretreated tropical woods of Mesta (Hibiscus cannabinus Linn.) and Subabul [Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Witt] as well as their isolated hemicellulose and cellulose fractions have been studied. Penicillium janthinellum and Penicillium funiculosum produced a biomass having 20 to 30% crude protein when grown on either hemicellulose, while growth on pretreated (autoclaved in 1% NaOH) wood or isolated cellulose fractions was comparatively poor and crude protein content only 5 to 8% in the biomass.NCL Communication no.3550     

Conversion of cellulose to sugars and cellobionic acid by the extracellular enzyme system of Chaetomium cellulolyticum

Summary Hydrolyses of cellulosics by crude enzyme yielded glucose, cellobiose, and cellobionic acid. A cellobiose oxidizing enzyme was detected in culture broth of Chaetomium cellulolyticum and identified as a cellobiose dehydrogenase.     

Senescence of attached bean leaves accelerated by sprays of silicone oil antitranspirants

During an investigation into the use of oil emulsions in foliar sprays, it was found that silicone oil emulsions accelerated the senescence of the primary leaves of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) plants. It was shown that accelerated senescence was not a result of the reduced transpiration rates found in silicone-sprayed leaves. Furthermore, the silicone oil emulsions did not induce leakiness in plant cell membranes. The senescence-enhancing effect seems to be connected with the ability of the silicone oil emulsions to penetrate into the leaf interior.     

A rapid method for purification of organelles for DNA isolation: self-generated percoll gradients

Self-generated Percoll gradients have been used for rapid purification of crude chloroplasts and mitochondria, obtained by common differential centrifugation techniques. Such purified organelles were used for isolating DNA from safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), carrot (Daucus carota L.), various Solanaceae, and numerous somatic hybrids. The method is simple, has the advantage of not requiring DNase, and is particularly well suited when only limited amounts of aseptically grown shoots are available. As judged by restriction enzyme analyses and chloroplast DNA cloning experiments, the DNAs are of sufficient purity for many molecular biological applications without CsCl gradient purification.     

Kinetics of nitrogen consumption during the batch growth of Candida guilliermondii on diesel oil and on mollasses

Summary Equations are proposed to correlate the nitrogen consumption rate, the nitrogen concentration and the cell concentration during batch cultiva tion of Candida guilliermondii on diesel oil and on molasses. The propo sed equations can be explained by means of known kinetic models.     

Transformation of vegetable oils by an oleaginous yeast:Rhodotorula glutinis IIP-30

Summary A locally isolated oleaginous yeastRhodotorula glutinis IIP-30 was grown on vegetable oils obtained from coconut, ground nut and til. The fatty acid composition of yeast oil was quite similar to that of the substrate oil in case of ground nut and til, while it was different with coconut oil. Utilization of C₁₂ and C₁₄ fatty acids of coconut oil to yield higher proportions of C₁₈₁ and C₁₈₂ fatty acids was observed.     

l-Sorbose Oxidase from Trametes sanguinea

A crude inhibitor for pancreatic lipase was extracted from soybean seeds. The lipase activity decreased curvilinearly with an increase in inhibitor concentration. At a low inhibitor concentration, enhanced inhibition was observed by the co-existence of protein such as bovine serum albumin in the reaction mixture. The lipase activity was inhibited immediately after the addition of inhibitor which did not cause the significant destraction of substrate emulsion. The lipase activities of Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus delemar and castor bean seeds were also inhibited. The inhibition was observed when various oil substrates such as soybean oil, linseed oil, olive oil emulsions and Ediol were used, and the extent of inhibition varied among them. Column chromatography of inhibitor on Sephadex G–100 showed that the molecular weight of a main peak of inhibitor was estimated as about 80,000.     

Isolation and Characterization of Biosurfactant-and Bioemulsifier-Producing Bacteria from Petroleum Contaminated Sites in Western Canada

Biosurfactant-producing bacteria were isolated from two petroleum contaminated sites in western Canada. Seven potential biosurfactant/bioemulsifier-producing isolates were screened and characterized. All of the seven isolates were able to form emulsions. Emulsion-stabilizing capacity was also measured up to 48 hrs. Strain C-111-2 and C-203-2 would lead to highly reduced surface tension. For strain C-203-2, the optimum conditions that supported bacteria growth and production were investigated. The influences of carbon sources, medium pH values, and temperature were taken into account. The experimental results indicated that the crude oil and glucose were promising carbon sources for biosurfactants production; the isolated strains produced a maximum concentration of biosurfactant in a neutral pH environment and showed a higher surface activity under the temperature level of 35°C than that under 10°C. To further optimize the carbon and nitrogen source for biosurfactant production, response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to explore the favorable concentration of two carbon sources: glucose, crude oil, and one nitrogen source, NaNO₃. The optimal concentration of 8.1g/L, 4% and 3.9 g/L for glucose, crude oil, and NaNO₃, respectively, which can be obtained through RSM analysis.     

Solid state fermentation of dried citrus peel byAspergillus niger

Summary Solid state fermentation of dried citrus peel was studied in a packed bed reactor withAspergillus niger QH-2. When no nitrogen source was added the growth was limited. When urea and/or ammonium sulphate were added in the proportion of 0.63 g N/100 g solid dry substrate a diauxie was observed and the final content of crude protein was higher than 10%. The results of a factorial design show that ammonium sulphate has a significant effect on the specific growth rate.     

Purification of acid-proteases by affinity partitioning in aqueous two-phase systems

Summary An affinity polymer derivative was synthesized with the group specific acid protease inhibitor pepstatin attached to dextran (M.W. 500,0001). This derivative was used in an aqueous two-phase system with hydroxypropyldextran to purify crude solutions of chymosin and Endothia parasitica (EP) acid proteases. Chymosin was purified by a factor of 6.2 with an overall yield of 83%. EP protease was similarly purified. A new pepstatin binding protease was discovered in crude EP extracts.     

Biological oxidation of thianthrene,thioxanthene and dibenzothiophene by the thermophilic organismSulfolobus acidocaldarius

Summary Microbial oxidation of some model aromatic organic sulfur compounds such as thianthrene, thioxanthene and dibenzothiophene by the thermophilic organismSulfolobus acidocaldarius has been studied. Sulfate ions released as an oxidation product were measured to quantify the oxidations. The oxidation of the aforementioned refractory aromatic sulfur compounds byS. acidocaldarius may have applications in organic sulfur removal from hydrocarbon fuels such as coal and oil.