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Biosurfactant Production Potentials of Autochthonous Bacterial Species Associated with Waxy Crude Oil

Received: 7 October 2025     Accepted: 31 October 2025     Published: 19 December 2025
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Abstract

Microbial degradation of paraffinic compounds has gained considerable interest due to their easy handling, eco-friendliness, high operational safety for sustainable development, low toxicity, non-carcinogenic nature, non-combustibility, and widespread presence of microorganisms. Biosurfactants increase bioavailability and help enhance contact between pollutants and microorganisms, thereby facilitating uptake and degradation, as well as the amelioration (remediation) of hydrocarbon-polluted environments. It also acts as a waxy depressant, enhancing the flow of crude during production. This study investigated the biosurfactant-producing potential of autochthonous bacterial species associated with waxy crude oil. The culturable autochthonous heterotrophic bacterial density in the waxy samples ranged from 1.3 ± 0.3 x 104 to 2.6 ± 0.3 x 104 CFU/ml. Four distinct bacterial species were isolated, characterized, and identified as Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Micrococcus sp. Analysis of the biosurfactant potentials of the isolates cell-free supernatants revealed varying biosurfactant potentials, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa culture extract having the best oil spread result and biosurfactant potential (% EC24 = 52.05), followed by B. subtilis (% EC24 = 50.0), then Micrococcus sp. (% EC24 = 48.7) and B. cereus (% EC24 = 47.5). All the isolates' cell-free extracts exhibited β-hemolysis. The potential of these autochthonous bacterial communities would be explored in the future as depressants for waxy crude oil treatment and for in the oil and gas sector, microbial enhanced oil recovery.

Published in Petroleum Science and Engineering (Volume 9, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.pse.20250902.19
Page(s) 134-140
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Biosurfactant Production, Bacteria, Waxy Crude, Wax Treatment

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Friday, F. S., Livinus, A., Julius, A. U., Abraham, N. A., Udosen, C. I. (2025). Biosurfactant Production Potentials of Autochthonous Bacterial Species Associated with Waxy Crude Oil. Petroleum Science and Engineering, 9(2), 134-140. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pse.20250902.19

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    ACS Style

    Friday, F. S.; Livinus, A.; Julius, A. U.; Abraham, N. A.; Udosen, C. I. Biosurfactant Production Potentials of Autochthonous Bacterial Species Associated with Waxy Crude Oil. Pet. Sci. Eng. 2025, 9(2), 134-140. doi: 10.11648/j.pse.20250902.19

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    AMA Style

    Friday FS, Livinus A, Julius AU, Abraham NA, Udosen CI. Biosurfactant Production Potentials of Autochthonous Bacterial Species Associated with Waxy Crude Oil. Pet Sci Eng. 2025;9(2):134-140. doi: 10.11648/j.pse.20250902.19

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  • @article{10.11648/j.pse.20250902.19,
      author = {Festus Sunday Friday and Aniefiok Livinus and Akpabio Udoh Julius and Nsikak Andrew Abraham and Christina Ime Udosen},
      title = {Biosurfactant Production Potentials of Autochthonous Bacterial Species Associated with Waxy Crude Oil},
      journal = {Petroleum Science and Engineering},
      volume = {9},
      number = {2},
      pages = {134-140},
      doi = {10.11648/j.pse.20250902.19},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pse.20250902.19},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.pse.20250902.19},
      abstract = {Microbial degradation of paraffinic compounds has gained considerable interest due to their easy handling, eco-friendliness, high operational safety for sustainable development, low toxicity, non-carcinogenic nature, non-combustibility, and widespread presence of microorganisms. Biosurfactants increase bioavailability and help enhance contact between pollutants and microorganisms, thereby facilitating uptake and degradation, as well as the amelioration (remediation) of hydrocarbon-polluted environments. It also acts as a waxy depressant, enhancing the flow of crude during production. This study investigated the biosurfactant-producing potential of autochthonous bacterial species associated with waxy crude oil. The culturable autochthonous heterotrophic bacterial density in the waxy samples ranged from 1.3 ± 0.3 x 104 to 2.6 ± 0.3 x 104 CFU/ml. Four distinct bacterial species were isolated, characterized, and identified as Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Micrococcus sp. Analysis of the biosurfactant potentials of the isolates cell-free supernatants revealed varying biosurfactant potentials, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa culture extract having the best oil spread result and biosurfactant potential (% EC24 = 52.05), followed by B. subtilis (% EC24 = 50.0), then Micrococcus sp. (% EC24 = 48.7) and B. cereus (% EC24 = 47.5). All the isolates' cell-free extracts exhibited β-hemolysis. The potential of these autochthonous bacterial communities would be explored in the future as depressants for waxy crude oil treatment and for in the oil and gas sector, microbial enhanced oil recovery.},
     year = {2025}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Biosurfactant Production Potentials of Autochthonous Bacterial Species Associated with Waxy Crude Oil
    AU  - Festus Sunday Friday
    AU  - Aniefiok Livinus
    AU  - Akpabio Udoh Julius
    AU  - Nsikak Andrew Abraham
    AU  - Christina Ime Udosen
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.pse.20250902.19
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    JF  - Petroleum Science and Engineering
    JO  - Petroleum Science and Engineering
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    EP  - 140
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2640-4516
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pse.20250902.19
    AB  - Microbial degradation of paraffinic compounds has gained considerable interest due to their easy handling, eco-friendliness, high operational safety for sustainable development, low toxicity, non-carcinogenic nature, non-combustibility, and widespread presence of microorganisms. Biosurfactants increase bioavailability and help enhance contact between pollutants and microorganisms, thereby facilitating uptake and degradation, as well as the amelioration (remediation) of hydrocarbon-polluted environments. It also acts as a waxy depressant, enhancing the flow of crude during production. This study investigated the biosurfactant-producing potential of autochthonous bacterial species associated with waxy crude oil. The culturable autochthonous heterotrophic bacterial density in the waxy samples ranged from 1.3 ± 0.3 x 104 to 2.6 ± 0.3 x 104 CFU/ml. Four distinct bacterial species were isolated, characterized, and identified as Bacillus cereus, B. subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Micrococcus sp. Analysis of the biosurfactant potentials of the isolates cell-free supernatants revealed varying biosurfactant potentials, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa culture extract having the best oil spread result and biosurfactant potential (% EC24 = 52.05), followed by B. subtilis (% EC24 = 50.0), then Micrococcus sp. (% EC24 = 48.7) and B. cereus (% EC24 = 47.5). All the isolates' cell-free extracts exhibited β-hemolysis. The potential of these autochthonous bacterial communities would be explored in the future as depressants for waxy crude oil treatment and for in the oil and gas sector, microbial enhanced oil recovery.
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

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