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1: Appl Environ Microbiol. 2000 Oct;66(10):4585-8.Click here to read Click here to read Links

A rhamnolipid biosurfactant reduces cadmium toxicity during naphthalene biodegradation.

Sandrin TR, Chech AM, Maier RM.

Department of Soil, Water, and Environmental Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA.

A model cocontaminated system was developed to determine whether a metal-complexing biosurfactant, rhamnolipid, could reduce metal toxicity to allow enhanced organic biodegradation by a Burkholderia sp. isolated from soil. Rhamnolipid eliminated cadmium toxicity when added at a 10-fold greater concentration than cadmium (890 microM), reduced toxicity when added at an equimolar concentration (89 microM), and had no effect at a 10-fold smaller concentration (8.9 microM). The mechanism by which rhamnolipid reduces metal toxicity may involve a combination of rhamnolipid complexation of cadmium and rhamnolipid interaction with the cell surface to alter cadmium uptake.

PMID: 11010924 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

PMCID: PMC92350