Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-8-2023
Abstract
Bioremediation of oil spills occurs when indigenous microbes metabolize petroleum hydrocarbons. Rapid proliferation of hydrocarbon-consuming bacteria near the oil-water interface is vital to optimizing the oil biodegradation rate. Adding nanoparticles (NPs) to microbial systems can enhance the bacterial growth rate. However, the role of NP source material and surface charge on their ability to impact bacterial growth and oil-water interface characteristics is poorly understood. Here, we investigate the role of NP composition and surface chemistry on the growth rate of hydrocarbon-consuming bacteria and its attachment to the oil-water interface. We use Alcanivorax borkumensis as a model organism because of its well-documented presence at oil spill sites and hexadecane as a model oil with well-defined interfacial characteristics. We use lignin and silver as model NPs and control their surface charge through the adsorption of chitosan, a cationic polyelectrolyte. We demonstrate that chitosan-coated lignin NPs significantly increase the bacterial growth rate and correspondingly enhance the percentage of cells adhered to the oil-water interface. The increased bacterial growth rate in the presence of chitosan-coated lignin NPs is correlated with the reduction in oil-water interfacial tension which could impact the bioremediation of oil. Our findings suggest that chitosan-coated lignin NPs can be used to increase the presence and growth of alkane-degrading microbes at the oil-water interface.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
ACS ES and T Engineering
First Page
1339
Last Page
1349
Recommended Citation
Pete, A., Lee, J., Benton, M., & Bharti, B. (2023). Chitosan-Coated Lignin Nanoparticles Enhance Adsorption and Proliferation of Alcanivorax borkumensis at the Hexadecane-Water Interface. ACS ES and T Engineering, 3 (9), 1339-1349. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsestengg.3c00109