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Institute of Environmental Sciences continues research into bioremediation of oil-contaminated territories

January 22nd, 2025

The Laboratory-Center of Agricultural and Environmental Biotechnology is in charge of this work.

"The basis of bioremediation technologies for oil-contaminated soils are bio-destructor bacteria capable of decomposing hydrocarbons, as well as the biosurfactants they produce - surface-active substances of microbiological origin. These substances play a key role in the cleaning process, as they have unique properties that allow them to effectively combat pollution," says Liliya Biktasheva, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Biotechnology.

There are very few bacteria in the soil that can destroy oil, and there is no point in hoping that it can clean itself. Therefore, scientists are looking for ways to help them.

It is possible, as Biktasheva explains, to isolate bacteria from contaminated soil, then purify them in the laboratory, multiply them and introduce them back to the soil.

"But there is another way to clean the soil with the help of such bacteria: adding surfactants they secrete. Due to their emulsifying properties and the ability to reduce the surface tension of water, biosurfactants significantly increase the availability of hydrocarbons for destructor microorganisms that are present in the soil in small quantities. In other words, when we add surfactants to the soil, the oil emulsifies, breaking up into balls. In this state, it is easier for bacteria to process it. This allows us to speed up the process of decomposition of oil products in the soil."

In conditions favorable for life, bacteria multiply quickly, which also has a positive effect on the speed of soil purification.

"Studies have shown that the introduction of biosurfactants stimulates the activity of the native (natural) microbial community of the soil, which contributes to a more complete restoration of the ecosystem," adds the scientist.

Laboratory experiments conducted at KFU confirmed the effectiveness of the innovative method: the content of hydrocarbons in the soil decreased by 35 percent after using a one-percent solution of biosurfactants produced by bacteria of the genus Nocardiopsis. The results are presented in an article published in Microbiology Research.

"The surfactant is more stable than the bacteria. During transportation to the site of soil contamination, the bacteria can die, for example, due to low temperatures. And the temperature does not affect the surfactant. It is a powder that needs to be diluted in water, and then the contaminated soil is treated with the resulting liquid," notes Biktasheva.

Another important aspect is the production cost.

"To reduce the cost of biosurfactant production, we proposed a technology for using organic waste from agriculture and the food industry as nutrient substrates for microorganisms. This not only reduces production costs, but also facilitates waste disposal, making the technology more environmentally friendly and sustainable. We solve two problems at once: soil cleaning and organic waste recycling," concludes the author.

She reports that the laboratory has also tried bioremediation of oil sludge using bio-stimulation and bio-augmentation methods. These methods are aimed at activating the natural processes of decomposition of petroleum products by stimulating autochthonous microorganisms or introducing specialized strains of destructor bacteria. In addition, the team has conducted large-scale studies of the impact of oil pollution on the microbial community of soils, which allowed them to better understand the mechanisms of the adaptation of microbes to extreme conditions and develop more effective strategies for restoring contaminated areas.

More information:
Bioremediation of Oil-Contaminated Soils Using Biosurfactants Produced by Bacteria of the Genus Nocardiopsis sp.
www.researchgate.net/publicati … enus_Nocardiopsis_sp

Provided by Kazan Federal University

Citation: Institute of Environmental Sciences continues research into bioremediation of oil-contaminated territories (2025, January 22) retrieved 22 January 2025 from https://sciencex.com/wire-news/498978304/institute-of-environmental-sciences-continues-research-into-bior.html
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