An alternative technique to perform drop collapse assay for rapid detection of surface active agents produced by microorganisms is described. The method is rapid, simple, economical and sensitive as it can detect the biosurfactant even in low concentrations. The limit of detection for Triton-X 100:0.01 mM (6.25 µg mL -1 ), CTAB: 0.1 mM (36.44 µg mL -1 ) and SDS: 0.001 mM (0.288 µg mL -1 ) using lotus leaf assay. This method uses Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) leaf as the surface for performing drop collapse studies and can be useful as an initial step for screening microorganisms for biosurfactant production and for detection of surfactant activity. The underline principle was that the leaves of lotus are super hydrophobic, i.e. drops of water roll off free of residue. The lotus leaf has surface roughness and posses water-repellent wax crystals which attribute towards super hydrophobic properties. Hence, if surface active agent capable of reducing surface and interfacial tension acting as wetting agent is produced by the Microbispora sp. V2 even in low concentrations, the drop collapse will occur on lotus leaf and wetting of leaf can occur. Lotus leaf can be a better alternative to microtitre plates as due to its rapidity, sensitivity, simplicity, ease, cost effectiveness and reproducibility. The simplicity of this technique makes it suitable in rapid screening of large number of surfactant producing microbes without the need of expensive high throughput systems.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.