Department of Chemical Engineering

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://localhost:4000/handle/123456789/1923

Browse

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Item
    Remediation of Waste Engine Oil Contaminated Soil using Rhamnolipid based Detergent Formulation
    (Elsevier, 2023) Jain, Amit; Gupta, Suresh; Chattopadhyay, Pradipta
    The utilization of waste substrates for rhamnolipid synthesis is a worthy alternative to conventional substrates to reduce the production cost of rhamnolipids. Rhamnolipid produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa gi |KP 163922| using waste engine oil as substrate was investigated in batch and semi-batch studies for soil bioremediation. Green liquid detergent formulations were prepared by using environment-friendly builder (sodium citrate) and filler (isopropyl alcohol). Rhamnolipid, a biosurfactant was utilized in place of chemical surfactant to prepare the liquid detergent formulation. The formulations at different rhamnolipid concentrations i.e., below critical micelle concentration (CMC), at CMC, and above CMC, were tested for soil remediation efficiency. Each detergent formulation was characterized based on emulsification index (EI24%), surface tension reduction, foam ability, and foam stability. The in-house rhamnolipid based formulations above CMC, recovered oil up to 82.02 ± 0.938 % from contaminated soil with maximum surface tension reduction and foam volume as 26.5 ± 0.412 mN/m and 51.10 ± 1.37 mL respectively. The proposed remediation strategy demonstrated that the recovery of oil is possible at room temperature conditions. The performance properties including detergency and foaming of rhamnolipid based liquid detergent formulations were also compared with commercial rhamnolipid and other detergents.
  • Item
    Production, characterization, and kinetic modeling of biosurfactant synthesis by Pseudomonas aeruginosa gi |KP 163922|: a mechanism perspective
    (Springer, 2023-05) Jain, Amit; Gupta, Suresh
    Kinetic studies and modeling of production parameters are essential for developing economical biosurfactant production processes. This study will provide a perspective on mechanistic reaction pathways to metabolize Waste Engine Oil (WEO). The results will provide relevant information on (i) WEO concentration above which growth inhibition occurs, (ii) chemical changes in WEO during biodegradation, and (iii) understanding of growth kinetics for the strain utilizing complex substrates. Laboratory scale experiments were conducted to study the kinetics and biodegradation potential of the strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa gi |KP 163922| over a range (0.5–8% (v/v)) of initial WEO concentration for 168 h. The kinetic models, such as Monod, Powell, Edward, Luong, and Haldane, were evaluated by fitting the experimental results in respective model equations. An unprecedented characterization of the substrate before and after degradation is presented, along with biosurfactant characterization. The secretion of biosurfactant during the growth, validated by surface tension reduction (72.07 ± 1.14 to 29.32 ± 1.08 mN/m), facilitated the biodegradation of WEO to less harmful components. The strain showed an increase in maximum specific growth rate (µmax) from 0.0185 to 0.1415 h−1 upto 49.92 mg/L WEO concentration. Maximum WEO degradation was found to be ~ 94% gravimetrically. The Luong model (adj. R2 = 0.97) adapted the experimental data using a non-linear regression method. Biochemical, 1H NMR, and FTIR analysis of the produced biosurfactant revealed a mixture of mono- and di- rhamnolipid. The degradation compounds in WEO were identified using FTIR, 1H NMR, and GC–MS analysis to deduce the mechanism.
  • Item
    Valorization of waste engine oil to mono- and di-rhamnolipid in a sustainable approach to circular bioeconomy
    (Springer, 2024-04) Jain, Amit; Gupta, Suresh
    This study aims to valorize waste engine oil (WEO) for synthesizing economically viable biosurfactants (rhamnolipids) to strengthen the circular bioeconomy concept. It specifically focuses on investigating the influence of key bioprocess parameters, viz. agitation and aeration rates, on enhancing rhamnolipid yield in a fed-batch fermentation mode. The methodology involves conducting experiments in a stirred tank bioreactor (3 L) using Pseudomonas aeruginosa gi |KP 163922| as the test organism. Central composite design and response surface methodology (CCD-RSM) are employed to design the experiments and analyze the effects of agitation and aeration rates on various parameters, including dry cell biomass (DCBM), surface tension, tensoactivity, and rhamnolipid yield. It is also essential to determine the mechanistic pathway of biosurfactant production followed by the strain using complex hydrophobic substrates such as WEO. The study reveals that optimal agitation and aeration rates of 200 rpm and 1 Lpm result in the highest biosurfactant yield of 29.76 g/L with minimal surface tension (28 mN/m). Biosurfactant characterization using FTIR, 1H NMR, and UPLC-MS/MS confirm the presence of dominant molecular ion peaks m/z 543.9 and 675.1. This suggests that the biosurfactant is a mixture of mono- and di-rhamnolipids (RhaC10C10, RhaRhaC10C12:1, RhaRhaC12:1C10). The findings present a sustainable approach for biosurfactant production in a fed-batch bioreactor. This research opens the possibility of exploring the use of pilot or large-scale bioreactors for biosurfactant production in future investigations.
  • Item
    Generation of biosurfactants by P. aeruginosa gi |KP163922| on waste engine oil in a free and immobilized cells system
    (Wiley, 2024-07) Jain, Amit
    This study investigated biosurfactant production by the bacterial strain of P. aeruginosa gi |KP 163922| for a free and immobilized cells system using waste engine oil (WEO) as a substrate. The polyurethane foam (PUF) cubes (1 cm × 1 cm × 1 cm) were used as carriers for the immobilization. The batch experiments were performed in Erlenmeyer flasks and monitored at every 24-h interval for both cell systems. The microbial population was counted using the plate count method, and the hydrocarbon degradation percentage was calculated to evaluate the bacterial activity. Surface tension was measured at regular intervals to ensure the presence of biosurfactants. The maximum reduction was 37 and 35 mN/m in a free and immobilized cells system. Immobilization of cells using PUF was found to be efficient in supporting bacterial growth, and after 48 h of incubation, the growth was 2.5 (±0.58) × 1011 CFU/mL. The chemical characterization using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed the obtained product as rhamnolipid. Crude biosurfactant yield was found to be maximum in the case of the immobilized system, which was approximately 18 g/L. Scanning electron micrographs (SEM) of the used PUF cubes showed the strong adherence of biofilm to the cube surface and the potential of its reuse in multiple cycles. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis confirms that the immobilized strain of P. aeruginosa exhibited superior biodegradation capabilities compared to free cells. Specifically, it was capable of reducing the concentration of polyaromatic hydrocarbons and converting more significant aliphatic compounds into metabolic byproducts such as alkanes, alkenes, cycloalkanes, and carbonyl groups.