Comparison of mono-rhamnolipids and di-rhamnolipids on microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) applications

Rhamnolipids (RMLs) have more effectiveness for specific uses according to their homologue proportions. Thus, the novelty of this work was to compare mono-RMLs and di-RMLs physicochemical properties on microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) applications. For this, RML produced by three strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa containing different homologues proportion were used: a mainly mono-RMLs producer (mono-RMLs); a mainly di-RMLs producer (di-RMLs), and the other one that produces relatively balanced amounts of mono-RML and di-RML homologues (mono/di-RML). For mono-RML, the most abundant molecules were Rha-C₁₀C₁₀ (m/z 503.3), for di-RML were RhaRha-C₁₀C₁₀ (m/z 649.4) and for Mono/di-RML were Rha-C₁₀C₁₀ (m/z 503.3) and RhaRha-C₁₀C₁₀ (m/z 649.4). All RMLs types presented robustness under high temperature and variation of salinity and pH, and high ability for oil displacement, foam stability, wettability reversal and were classified as safe for environment according to the European Union Directive No. 67/548/EEC. For all these properties, it was observed a highlight for mono-RML. Mono-RML presented the lowest surface tension (26.40 mN/m), interfacial tension (1.14 mN/m), and critical micellar concentration (CMC 27.04 mg/L), the highest emulsification index (EI₂₄ 100%) and the best wettability reversal (100% with 25 ppm). In addition, mono-RML showed the best acute toxicity value (454 mg/L), making its application potential even more attractive. Based on the results, it was concluded that all RMLs homologues studied have potential for MEOR applications. However, results showed that mono-RML stood out and have the best mechanism of oil incorporation in micelles due their most effective surface-active physicochemical features.     

Engineering bacteria for production of rhamnolipid as an agent for enhanced oil recovery

Rhamnolipid as a potent natural biosurfactant has a wide range of potential applications, including enhanced oil recovery (EOR), biodegradation, and bioremediation. Rhamnolipid is composed of rhamnose sugar molecule and beta-hydroxyalkanoic acid. The rhamnosyltransferase 1 complex (RhlAB) is the key enzyme responsible for transferring the rhamnose moiety to the beta-hydroxyalkanoic acid moiety to biosynthesize rhamnolipid. Through transposome-mediated chromosome integration, the RhlAB gene was inserted into the chromosome of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1-rhlA(-) and Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3), neither of which could produce rhamnolipid. After chromosome integration of the RhlAB gene, the constitute strains P. aeruginosa PEER02 and E. coli TnERAB did produce rhamnolipid. The HPLC/MS spectrum showed that the structure of purified rhamnolipid from P. aeruginosa PEER02 was similar to that from other P. aeruginosa strains, but with different percentage for each of the several congeners. The main congener (near 60%) of purified rhamnolipid from E. coli TnERAB was 3-(3-hydroxydecanoyloxy) decanoate (C(10)-C(10)) with mono-rhamnose. The surfactant performance of rhamnolipid was evaluated by measurement of interfacial tension (IFT) and oil recovery via sand-pack flooding tests. As expected, pH and salt concentration of the rhamnolipid solution significantly affected the IFT properties. With just 250 mg/L rhamnolipid (from P. aeruginosa PEER02 with soybean oil as substrate) in citrate-Na(2)HPO(4), pH 5, 2% NaCl, 42% of oil otherwise trapped was recovered from a sand pack. This result suggests rhamnolipid might be considered for EOR applications.     

油藏微生物群落研究的方法学

油藏微生物群落的解析和认知是开发和应用微生物采油技术的基础。利用各种提高油藏微生物可培养性的方法和非培养技术解析不同油藏微生物的群落结构、功能和多样性,对定向调控油藏微生物群落、开发和应用有效微生物驱油技术具有重要的指导意义。通过调查新近发展的提高微生物可培养性的方法和措施以及不依赖于培养的分子微生物生态学技术,总结了油藏微生物群落研究方法学的最新进展。提高微生物可培养性的方法和措施主要通过模拟微生物的生存环境,减少富营养的毒害作用、添加信号分子维持微生物细胞间的作用和提供新型电子供体和受体等手段采用稀释法、高通量培养法等方法得以实现;不依赖于培养的分子微生物生态学技术主要包括荧光原位杂交、末端限制性片断长度多态性分析、变性梯度凝胶电泳和构建克隆文库等技术。这些方法学的进展为更有效的获得各种油藏微生物资源、调控油藏微生物群落以提高石油采收率提供理论指导。     

生物表面活性剂生产菌的鉴定及其发酵优化和产物性质研究

由中国科学院南海海洋研究所提供的一株生物表面活性剂生产菌,经菌落、菌体形态和16S rDNA序列分析,鉴定为芽孢杆菌属,命名为Bacillus SCUT09.初步优化了该菌株的培养条件,最佳碳、氮源分别为木薯淀粉、牛肉膏,最利于Bacillus SCUT09生长和生物表面活性剂积累的条件为:NaCl 1%,pH 6.5...     

矿区绿化树木对镉和锌的吸收与分布

研究了南京某矿区11种树木的重金属吸收和分布特征.结果表明：树木对重金属的吸收和富集因树木种类、部位及重金属种类的不同而异.法国冬青对Cd的含量、富集和转运系数均高于其它树种,可以植物萃取方式修复土壤污染.Cd主要积累在树木根部,树木不同器官对Cd积累能力的总趋势为根＞叶及枝＞树皮＞树干;而Zn更多地积累在树木地上部（叶和枝）而非根部.11种树木对Cd和Zn的富集系数均<0.2.树木对Cd和Zn的转运系数差异显著,总体上是Zn>Cd.     

内源微生物驱油及其对油藏微生物活动的影响

【目的】新疆油田六中区为典型水驱普通稠油油藏,水驱效果较差,油藏具有丰富的内源微生物,本研究通过分析内源微生物驱油对油藏微生物活动的影响,确定内源微生物驱油技术在该类油藏的应用潜力。【方法】采用高通量测序及分析化学技术,系统研究实施内源微生物驱油技术后油藏细菌群落结构组成、细菌总数和功能菌群的浓度以及采出液的流体性质,总结内源微生物驱油对油藏微生物活动的影响。【结果】现场试验注入激活剂和空气后,内源微生物被显著激活,细菌群落结构发生明显变化,细菌总数及功能菌群浓度普遍提高了2–3个数量级;各种内源微生物代谢活动显著增强,与地层流体相互作用后,原油明显被乳化,最终石油采收率提高5.2%。【结论】对于内源微生物较为丰富的水驱普通稠油油藏,内源微生物驱油技术对油藏微生物活动的影响显著,具有显著的技术优势和较大的应用潜力,微生物群落结构、功能菌群浓度及其相关代谢产物可以作为评价内源微生物驱油现场激活效果的重要指标,为其他内源微生物驱油现场试验提供技术参考。     

生物表面活性剂在提高原油采收率方面的应用

生物表面活性剂和一般的化学表面活性剂一样,都拥有亲水和疏水基因,是微生物生长在水不溶的有机物中并以营养物而产生的代谢产物。在油田应用中,生物表面活性剂的作用是微生物提高采收率的重要机理之一,具有水溶性好、反应产物均一、安全无毒、驱油效果好等特点。本文从产生生物表面活性剂的菌种及生物表面活性剂的类型、生物表面活性剂的特性、实验研究、矿场实验及展望等五个方面综述了生物表面活性剂在提高原油采收率方面的应     

青海油田微生物采油技术研究

从青海油田地层水中分离培养出4株微生物菌种,对其进行了耐温性、耐盐性等进行了探讨,分析了微生物处理前后原油组份及物性变化情况,并采用岩芯流动试验探讨了微生物的驱油效果。结果表明,这几种微生物菌种均能适应青海油田温度及高矿化度地层环境,作用于原油后对原油中的长链饱和烃类物质有较好的降解作用,能使其分子链变短,并产生有机酸或石油羧酸盐类表面活性剂等低分子物质,使原油的粘度、凝点及蜡含量均出现明显的下降,改善原油的流动性能。提高石油采收率。2口井的现场试验证明,微生物采油具有良好的提高石油采收率的效果和清蜡减阻效果。     

生物表面活性剂产生菌的筛选及表面活性剂稳定性研究

大庆油田油泥样品经富集培养,平板分离,获得52株菌。排油性实验和表面张力测定表明,菌株B22、B24、B2s产生的表面活性剂表面活性稳定,表面张力较低。温度、pH和NaCl浓度实验证实,细菌B22,产生的生物表面活性剂可耐受120℃高温,另2种生物表面活性剂可耐受80℃;3种细菌生物表面活性剂对pH有广泛适应性,1322pH适应范围为4．0～13．0,B24、B25的pH适应范围为2．0～13．0;NaCl浓度对表面活性剂的生物活性影响不大。将3株菌的生物表面活性剂用于室内油泥处理实验,72h石油去除率达70％以上。     

基因工程微生物合成鼠李糖脂表面活性剂的研究进展

鼠李糖脂是一类重要的生物表面活性剂。相比于化学合成的表面活性剂,其具有更优秀的理化性质及环境友好等特点,被广泛应用于微生物采油、环境污染修复等工程中。目前,鼠李糖脂的工业生产主要采用铜绿假单胞菌这一具有致病性的天然合成菌株,与此同时,受菌株遗传背景的限制,优化发酵过程等方法在产量提升方面遇到了一些瓶颈问题。利用基因工程方法对菌株进行改良有望进一步提高鼠李糖脂生产的安全性、产量、产物性能等多项指标,因此受到了越来越广泛的关注。本文综述了近年来利用基因工程方法优化鼠李糖脂生物合成的最新进展,讨论了异源合成、代谢通路改造、基因表达优化、蛋白质工程、底盘工程等多种策略的应用,并展望了一系列可行的研究方向。     

Isolation and selection of biosurfactant-producing bacteria

Haemolysis has been used as an initial selection criterion for the primary isolation of surfactant-producing bacteria. Only 37 of 492 strains of different origins had haemolytic activity. These 37 strains, together with 49 non-haemolytic ones chosen at random, were studied for surface activity. Only five strains, all of them haemolytic, tested positive. Haemolysis and biosurfactant-production are thus probably associated.     

长庆油田延9低渗透油藏微生物群落研究

目的:研究长庆油田延9低渗透油藏微生物群落,为实施微生物提高原油采收率提供指导和依据。方法:长庆油田延9油藏三口不同油井(柳28-46、柳28-47和柳27-45)的油水样品建立16S rDNA克隆文库进行研究。结果:构建了柳28-46、柳28-47和柳27-45油井样品的微生物基因克隆文库,其分类操作单元(OUT)数分别为21、20和20个;序列分析比对表明,3口井的共同的优势微生物菌群为铜绿假单胞菌(Pseudomonas aeruginos),分别占各文库的32.8%、32%和42.9%,它是最常见最主要的采油功能菌之一。此外硫酸盐还原菌(SRB)和铁细菌也处于优势地位,它们是原油开采中的有害菌。结论:延9低渗透油藏微生物群落和其潜在功能的分析为开展微生物提高石油采收率应用提供了良好的基础资料。     

Property control of sophorolipids: influence of fatty acid substrate and blending

Sophorolipids (SLs) were synthesized by fed-batch fermentation of Candida bombicola on glucose and either palmitic acid (SL-p), stearic acid (SL-s), oleic acid (SL-o) or linoleic acid (SL-l) and the structural distribution accurately determined by atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (APCI-MS). The surfactant properties, including critical micelle concentration (CMC), minimum surface tension (min.ST) and oil-water interfacial tension (IFT) were measured by tensiometry. Minimum STs of 35–36 mN/m were obtained regardless of the substrate while IFTs ranged from 3–5 mN/m with the exception of SL-l, which had an IFT of 7 mN/m. The largest disparity occurred in the CMC values, which ranged from 35 ppm for SL-s to 250 ppm for SL-l. By manually mixing these four SLs in different ratios, it was possible to better control the CMC values without affecting the min.ST or IFT, which will prove beneficial as new applications for SLs are established. Mention of trade names or commercial products in this publication is solely for the purpose of providing specific information and does not imply recommendation or endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.     

Specific optical rotation is a versatile tool for the identification of critical micelle concentration and micellar growth of tartaric acid–based diastereomeric amphiphiles

Four novel tartaric acid–based diastereomeric chiral amphiphiles, two being enantiomers of the other two, have been synthesized and investigated using chiroptical spectroscopic methods, along with tensiometry and dynamic light scattering experiments. We found that an inflection point in specific optical rotation (SOR) values at ~0.32 mM corresponds to the critical micelle concentration (CMC). The increase in magnitude of SOR values beyond CMC corresponds to the growth of aggregates. For enantiomers, oppositely signed SOR values were observed, ruling out the possibility for the presence of aggregation size mediated artefacts. SOR values did not exhibit concentration dependence for a chiral tartaric acid based non‐aggregating analogue further establishing the absence of artefacts or anomalous interaction of tartaric acid based head group with solvent. Electronic circular dichroism spectra showed no significant changes in band positions or intensities with concentration. Due to the requirement for higher concentrations (~200 mM) needed to obtain vibrational circular dichroism spectra, these measurements are not found to be useful for studying concentration dependent properties of chiral amphiphiles.     

厌氧产脂肽工程菌的构建及其代谢活性评价

利用微生物产生生物表面活性剂驱油,是微生物采油的重要技术之一.但油藏的缺氧环境使得大多数生物表面活性剂产生菌的代谢活性受到限制.本研究以筛选自油田采出水中的好氧产脂肽类表面活性剂的解淀粉芽孢杆菌BQ-2和兼性厌氧的施氏假单胞菌DQ-1为亲本菌,通过原生质体融合的方法构建了一株能在厌氧条件下迅速生长并能产脂肽类表面活性剂的融合子JD-3.融合子JD-3的菌落形态与亲本菌株BQ-2相似,其16S rDNA序列与BQ-2的相似度达99%;在厌氧条件下培养36 h,融合子JD-3发酵液的表面张力由初始的63.0 mN·m^-1降至32.5 mN·m^-1;薄层层析及红外光谱分析结果显示,JD-3在厌氧条件下的产物为脂肽类表面活性剂;该表面活性剂的临界胶束浓度(CMC)为90 mg·L^-1,且对原油、液体石蜡、煤油等有较好的乳化活性.JD 3在厌氧条件下可以蔗糖、葡萄糖或甘油为碳源,以蛋白胨等为氮源合成脂肽类表面活性剂,且经多次厌氧传代培养仍保持稳定的产生物表面活性剂功能,显示该菌株在油藏厌氧条件下对提高原油采收率具有较好的应用潜力.     

产有机酸采油菌的筛选及产酸情况的分析

目的:从大庆油田原油样品中筛选出2株产有机酸量较高的菌株,并对其产物进行分析.方法:根据形态特征、生理生化性质和16S rDNA序列分析对菌株进行鉴定,并运用GC/MS法对发酵液进行分析.结果:经鉴定这两株为枯草芽孢杆菌,菌株T10 -3的发酵液中含有乙酸11.407％,异丁酸9.375％,丁二醇79.217％;菌株DH -2 -l发酵液的中含有异丁酸41.56％,丁二醇46.619％,异戊酸4.138％,异庚酸10.680％.结论:这两株细菌在微生物采油方面均有良好的应用前景.     

Effect of Vitreoscilla hemoglobin biosynthesis in Escherichia coli on production of poly(beta-hydroxybutyrate) and fermentative parameters

In order to attain high cell density and low cost production of poly(beta-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), the Vitreoscilla globin gene (vgb) was introduced into a novel recombinant strain, Escherichia coli VG1 (pTU14). Experiments showed that the expression of vgb was under the regulation of dissolved oxygen (DO) in broth and the introduction of vgb in VG1 (pTU14) induced the parent promotion effect on cell growth and PHB accumulation, especially under low DO conditions. Further experiments indicated that the introduction of vgb in VG1 (pTU14) not only decreased the critical oxygen concentration, but also affected the volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient of the recombinant strain.     

Potential application of cyclic lipopeptide biosurfactants produced by Bacillus subtilis strains in laundry detergent formulations

AIMS: Crude cyclic lipopeptide (CLP) biosurfactants from two Bacillus subtilis strains (DM-03 and DM-04) were studied for their compatibility and stability with some locally available commercial laundry detergents. METHODS AND RESULTS: CLP biosurfactants from both B. subtilis strains were stable over the pH range of 7.0-12.0, and heating them at 80 degrees C for 60 min did not result in any loss of their surface-active property. Crude CLP biosurfactants showed good emulsion formation capability with vegetable oils, and demonstrated excellent compatibility and stability with all the tested laundry detergents. CONCLUSION: CLP biosurfactants from B. subtilis strains act additively with other components of the detergents to further improve the wash quality of detergents. The thermal resistance and extreme alkaline pH stability of B. subtilis CLP biosurfactants favour their inclusion in laundry detergent formulations. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study has great significance because it is already known that microbial biosurfactants are considered safer alternative to chemical or synthetic surfactants owing to lower toxicity, ease of biodegradability and low ecological impact. The present study provides further evidence that CLP biosurfactants from B. subtilis strains can be employed in laundry detergents.