Pyrene biodegradation enhancement potential of lipopeptide biosurfactant produced by Paenibacillus dendritiformis CN5 strain.

Effect of biosurfactant on biodegradation of pyrene was studied using a microbial consortium predominantly composed of Pseudomonas viridiflava (49.5%) and Pseudomonas nitroreducens (32.5%) in a batch experiment containing lipopeptidic biosurfactant, produced by Paenibacillus dendritiformis CN5 strain, and mineral salt medium. The results showed that the lipopeptide at 600 and 300mgL enhanced pyrene degradation to 83.5% and 67% respectively in 24days compared to 16% degradation in its absence. However degradation of pyrene was reduced to 57% as the lipopeptide supplementation was raised to 900mgL. This demonstrates that the biodegradation of pyrene was found to increase with an increase in the lipopeptide concentration up to a threshold level. The experimental data were fitted to the logistic kinetic model which provided best fit with a coefficient of determination (R) values≥0.97. Maximum specific growth rate, μ of 0.97 and 0.69d were achieved in the 600 and 300mgL lipopeptide amendments in comparison to 0.54d in the unamended one. The carrying capacity, X increased 4.4-fold in 600mgL lipopeptide supplemented samples in comparison to its absence. Generally the lipopeptide showed potential application in improving bioremediation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons contaminated environmental media.