Physiological changes in Rhodococcus ruber S103 immobilized on biobooms using low-cost media enhance stress tolerance and crude oil-degrading activity.

For economic feasibility, sugarcane molasses (0.5%, w/v) containing KHPO (0.26%, w/v) and mature coconut water, low value byproducts, were used in cultivation of Rhodococcus ruber S103 for inoculum production and immobilization, respectively. Physiological changes of S103 grown in low-cost media, including cell hydrophobicity, saturated/unsaturated ratio of cellular fatty acids and biofilm formation activity, enhanced stress tolerance and crude oil biodegradation in freshwater and even under high salinity (5%, w/v). Biobooms comprised of S103 immobilized on polyurethane foam (PUF) was achieved with high biomass content (10 colony-forming units g PUF) via a scale-up process in a 5-L modified fluidized-bed bioreactor within 3 days. In a 500-L mesocosm, natural freshwater was spiked with crude oil (72 g or 667 mg g dry biobooms), and a simulated wave was applied. Biobooms could remove 100% of crude oil within only 3 days and simultaneously biodegraded 60% of the adsorbed oil after 7 days when compared to boom control with indigenous bacteria. In addition, biobooms had a long shelf-life (at least 100 days) with high biodegradation activity (85.2 ± 2.3%) after storage in 10% (w/v) skimmed milk at room temperature. This study demonstrates that the low-cost production of biobooms has potential for future commercial bioremediation.