Isolation and characterization of a biosurfactant from Deinococcus caeni PO5 using jackfruit seed powder as a substrate

Biosurfactant-producing bacteria were isolated from various sources in the south of Thailand. Isolates were screened for biosurfactant production using jackfruit seed powder (JSP) as a novel and promising substrate. The highest biosurfactant activity was obtained with a bacterial strain which was identified by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis as Deinococcus caeni PO5. D. caeni PO5 was able to grow and reduce the surface tension of the culture supernatant from 67.0 to 25.0 mN/m after 87 h of cultivation when 40 g/l of JSP and 1 g/l of commercial monosodium glutamate were used as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively. The biosurfactant obtained by ethyl acetate extraction showed high surface tension reduction (47.0 mN/m), a small critical micelle concentration value (8 mg/l), thermal and pH stability with respect to surface tension reduction and emulsification activity, and a high level of salt tolerance. Chemical characterization by biochemical testing, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and mass spectra revealed that the obtained biosurfactant was a glycolipid-type biosurfactant. The obtained biosurfactant was capable of forming stable emulsions with various hydrocarbons and had the ability to enhance oil recovery, the solubility of polyaromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metal removal, and antimicrobial activity.