Abstract:
Oil polluted soil microbiota plays an important role in the production of biosurfactants. In comparison
to synthetic surfactants, biosurfactants offer unique advantages, such as lower toxicity,
biodegradability, selectivity, and effectiveness under unpleasant conditions. Despite these benefits,
the widespread use of biosurfactants is limited by enormous production costs. To address this
challenge, this study aimed to explore the adoption of waste cooking for rhamnolipids production.
Two prominent bacterial strains: Kosakonia cowanni and Acinetobacter colcoaceticus, were
obtained from heavy oil-laden soil samples, and further demonstrated their capability for rhamnolipids
production from waste cooking oil (Acinetobacter colcoaceticus: 0.51 g/L, Kosakonia cowanii:
0.39 g/L). The biosurfactants obtained were characterized through TLC, FTIR, and H NMR
to confirm their rhamnolipid identities as mono-rhamnolipids. The findings in our study emphasizes
the potential of cost-effective production of rhamnolipids that possess interesting biotechnological
features through the synergy of oil-polluted environments and waste cooking oil. This
study contributes significantly to the development of sustainable rhamnolipid production using
non-pathogenic strains. By harnessing these microorganisms, we advance towards addressing
critical environmental challenges, such as heavy metal contamination in water. This research
aligns with broader sustainability goals, including clean water and sanitation.
