Papers by Ibrahim M Banat
International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics, May 19, 2023
An in vitro investigation was carried out to assess how the lipopeptide biosurfactant (LPB) produ... more An in vitro investigation was carried out to assess how the lipopeptide biosurfactant (LPB) produced by Acinetobacter junii B6 affects Leishmania tropica infection and the associated cytokine gene expression in macrophages infected with L. tropica. Glucantime® (meglumine antimoniate, MA) and LPB were investigated for their leishmanicidal effect, alone and in combination (LPB + MA), using a colorimetric test and a macrophage model. Immunomodulatory impact was also evaluated through analysis of Th1 and Th2 cytokine gene expression in infected macrophages after treatment with MA and LPB, individually and in combination. The MA/LPB combination showed higher inhibitory impacts on L. tropica amastigotes and promastigotes than each alone. Cytokine gene expression con rmed LPB's a nity to IFN-γ, a rming the elevated IL-12p40 and IFN-γ concentrations in addition to a reduction in the secretion of IL-10 in a dose-dependent manner, particularly in combined treatment. The results indicated higher effectiveness of LPB along with MA in the reduction of the parasite growth and promoting the immune reaction level, which may be considered as a possible therapeutic strategy to treat those with anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Corrosion Science, 1993
ABSTRACT
RSC Advances, 2022
Biosurfactants are expected to be a key factor for microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR). In thi... more Biosurfactants are expected to be a key factor for microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR). In this study, we described the novel biosurfactant-producing strain Brevibacillus borstelensis YZ-2 isolated from a low permeability oil reservoir. We purified and characterized the biosurfactants produced by this YZ-2 strain via thin-layer chromatography and MALDI-TOF-MS, revealing them to be fengycins. We additionally used a Box-Behnken design approach to optimize fermentation conditions in order to maximize the biosurfactants production. Core flooding experiments showed that biosurfactants produced by YZ-2 can significantly enhance crude oil recovery. Micro-model tests showed that emulsification and IFT reduction was the main EOR mechanism of the YZ biosurfactant in the oil wet model. In summary, these findings highlight the potential of Brevibacillus borstelensis YZ-2 and its metabolites for MEOR.
Biotechnology Letters, Aug 1, 1988
Summary A heat treatment method to reduce nucleic acid content in cell biomass of a mixed methano... more Summary A heat treatment method to reduce nucleic acid content in cell biomass of a mixed methanol-utilizing bacterial culture was studied. Maximum nucleic acid reduction in the bacterial cells was achieved by using heat shock at 65°C for 5–10 min followed by 2 h incubation at 55°C and 7.2±0.2 pH. In this treatment, 81–85% nucleic acid content was removed from
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Sep 14, 2022
Aquatic habitats are particularly susceptible to chemical pollution from domestic, agricultural, ... more Aquatic habitats are particularly susceptible to chemical pollution from domestic, agricultural, and industrial sources. Antimicrobials are commonly used in medical and industrial environments to reduce harmful bacteria and biofilms. This has led to the rapid increase in the prevalence of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) genes. Alternate remedies to fight pathogenic bacteria and biofilms are in development including synthetic and biological surfactants such as sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) and rhamnolipids respectively. In the aquatic environment these surfactants are present as pollutants with potential to affect biofilm formation and AMR gene occurrence; however, there is limited research showing the actual environmental impact of such exposure. We tested the effects of rhamnolipid and SDS on natural aquatic biofilms in a freshwater stream in Northern Ireland. We grew biofilms on contaminant exposure substrata deployed within the stream over four weeks, and then carried out shotgun sequencing to determine microbial community composition, through 16s rRNA analyses (64,678 classifiable reads identified), and AMR gene occurrence (81 instances of AMR genes over 9 AMR gene classes) through a metagenomic analysis. There were no significant changes in community composition within all systems; however, biofilm exposed to rhamnolipid had a greater number of unique taxa as compared to our SDS treatments and controls. AMR gene prevalence was higher in surfactant-treated biofilms, with biofilm exposed to rhamnolipids having the highest presence of AMR genes and classes compared to the control or SDS treatments, in which genes encoding for rifampin resistance were detected. Our results suggest that the presence of rhamnolipid, and to a lesser extent SDS, encourages an increase in the prevalence of AMR genes in biofilms produced in mixed use water bodies.
Environmental Technology, Dec 1, 1992
Two identical facultative ponds were operated in parallel under the same environmental conditions... more Two identical facultative ponds were operated in parallel under the same environmental conditions with the same sewage supply. While one pond was operated as control at fixed depth and constant sewage inflow, the hydraulic conditions for the other pond were varied. It was observed that the BOD and COD removals in the control pond varied almost linearly with areal loading at all times. On the other hand, BOD and COD removals exhibited distinctly different patterns in the variable pond.
Waste Management, 1991
Abstract Integrated pond systems consisting of facultative and high-rate ponds operating in serie... more Abstract Integrated pond systems consisting of facultative and high-rate ponds operating in series can produce an effluent low in dissolved organic material, nutrients, and hazardous bacteria. However, the effluent is rich in algae, and cannot meet stringent water-quality criteria on suspended solids. The algae, therefore, must be removed before final discharge or reuse of the effluent. This study reports on the efficiency of slow sand filtration in removing algae from high-rate pond effluents. When agricultural sandy soil with an effective grain size of 0.08 mm was used as the filter medium, an average filtration rate of about 1.3 m 3 /m 2 .d was obtained. If filtration was preceded by sedimentation, the duration of a filtration run was about 100 h. At the end of each run, the filter was cleaned by scraping off the top few centimeters of the filter bed. The filtered effluent consistently had a biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) value less than 20 mg/L and undetectable fecal coliforms. The filter media, being rich in organic matter and having moisture-retaining properties, can be used as a soil conditioner.
Langmuir, Nov 2, 2010
The use of small angle neutron scattering, SANS, neutron reflectivity, NR, and surface tension to... more The use of small angle neutron scattering, SANS, neutron reflectivity, NR, and surface tension to study the mixing properties of the biosurfactant rhamnolipid with a conventional anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl 6-benzene sulfonate, LAS, is reported. The monorhamnose rhamnolipid, R1, mixes close to ideally with LAS at the air-water interface, whereas for mixtures of LAS with the dirhamnose rhamnolipid, R2, the LAS strongly partitions to the air-water interface relative to R2, probably because of the steric hindrance of the larger R2 headgroup. These trends in the binary mixtures are also reflected in the ternary R1/R2/LAS mixtures. However, for these ternary mixtures, there is also a pronounced synergy in the total adsorption, which reaches a maximum for a LAS/rhamnolipid mole ratio of about 0.6 and a R1/R2 mol ratio of about 0.5, an effect which is not observed in the binary mixtures. In solution, the R1/LAS mixtures form relatively small globular micelles, L 1 , at low surfactant concentrations (<20 mM), more planar structures (lamellar, L R , unilamellar/multilamellar vesicles, ulv/mlv) are formed at higher surfactant concentrations for R1 and LAS rich compositions, and a large mixed phase (L R /L 1 and L 1 /L R ) region forms at intermediate surfactant compositions. In contrast, for the R2/LAS mixtures, the higher preferred curvature of R2 dominates the phase behavior. The predominant microstructure is in the form of small globular micelles, except for solution compositions rich in LAS (>80 mol % LAS) where more planar structures are formed. For the ternary mixtures, there is an evolution in the resulting phase behavior from one dominated by L 1 (R2 rich) to one dominated by planar structures, L R , (R1, LAS rich), and which strongly depends upon the LAS/rhamnolipid and R1/R2 mole ratio.
Petroleum Science and Technology, Aug 4, 2023
Journal of Bacteriology & Parasitology, Oct 17, 2017
Geobacillus bacteria show high potential as biocatalysts suitable for industrial biotechnology ap... more Geobacillus bacteria show high potential as biocatalysts suitable for industrial biotechnology applications. The ability of these bacteria to produce a variety of extracellular enzymes, such as amylases, xylanases, proteases, lipases, esterases and ureases has ranked them among the most important enzyme producers [1; 2]. Lipases are serine hydrolases that catalyse a wide range of bioconversion reactions: hydrolysis, transesterification and/or ester synthesis. Esters derived from these reactions are used in biofuel production or included in composition of cosmetics/perfumery. Thermostable and thermoactive lipolytic enzymes have gained remarkable importance over other industrially used biocatalysts due to their versatility regarding catalytic behavior. The main advantages of performing industrial processes at higher temperatures are reduced risk of microbial contamination and lower viscosity [1]. Therefore, it is important to characterize novel lipases/esterases and investigate the possibility to perform ester synthesis using such novel enzymes.
Journal of Bacteriology & Parasitology, Jan 18, 2017
The study aimed at identifying the reality stories of the Palestinian suicide martyrs (Istishhadi... more The study aimed at identifying the reality stories of the Palestinian suicide martyrs (Istishhadiyin). The findings revealed that their choice of martyrdom is nationalistic, is closely associated with the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and the daily suppressive practices against the helpless and unarmed Palestinian people. Palestinian suicide martyrs (Istishhadiyin) lived a normal life with their families and society members. They neither ran from their problems nor their psychological, marriage and financial crises to face death. They had chosen this path based on a conscious decision of carrying the hopes of the Palestinian people and it's just cause towards achieving liberty and victory. The simplest humane and civilized duties are to encounter and resist the occupying enemy.
The present study is aimed at identifying the impact of emotional intelligence on academic achiev... more The present study is aimed at identifying the impact of emotional intelligence on academic achievement among students at the Al-Quds University. Emotional intelligence was evaluated using a 33-item scale as an index introduced by Schutte et al. (1998). The test was administrated to three hundred and seventy stratifiedly selected full-time undergraduate students at Al-Quds University. The data was statistically analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings revealed that the students at Al-Quds University indicated a high level of emotional intelligence. Of the students surveyed, 75.2% revealed being emotionally intelligent. The results demonstrated statistically significant differences in the emotional intelligence scores among the students according to their gender, religion and place of residency. Emotional intelligence emerged as a significant predictor of academic achievement. The implications of the findings and directions for future empirical research are discussed briefly.
Journal of Food Quality, Dec 1, 1995
Single-cell protein {SCP) produced from a novel thermotolerant methylotrophic Bacillus sp. KISRI-... more Single-cell protein {SCP) produced from a novel thermotolerant methylotrophic Bacillus sp. KISRI-TM IA was fed to groups of 10 male and I0 female Wistar rats at levels of 0, 10, 20, and 30percent of total diets. The feeding of KISRI-TM 1A did not adversely affect growth, feed intake or hematological values of rats. Water intake of male rats decreased with increasing level of SCP in the diet. Urinary pH showed dose-dependent reductions in both sexes. Plasma alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminotransferase were significantly (P < .05) reduced by increasing levels of dietary SCP. However, no significant (p > .05) abnormalities were observed in the weights or histopathological appearances of the organs. It was concluded that the IUSRI-TM IA SCP couM serve as apotential dietary ingredient at levels of up to 30% forpoultry, young lambs and calves.
Springer eBooks, 2021
Biologically produced polymers and that ex situ synthesized from biogenic precursors have capture... more Biologically produced polymers and that ex situ synthesized from biogenic precursors have captured the attention of researchers and industrialists due to their diversity, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and renewability. They find diverse applications in enormous fields of science and technology including packaging, foods, textiles, water treatment, cosmetics, sensing, and microelectronics. The chemistry of surfaces is a window for originating new properties and opportunities. Based on their surface affinity, bioplastics may be either hydrophobic or hydrophilic which directs their potential applications. Their surface chemistry may be tailored by imparting desirable functionalities for improving their physicomechanical properties. This can be achieved through different physical, chemical, and biological approaches. Such bioplastics with improved hydrophilicity are desirable in the fields of medical science, nanotechnology, sensing, and so forth. The objective of the present chapter is to present recent developments in tuning the surface properties of bioplastics using different approaches for biomedical applications.
CRC Press eBooks, Jan 15, 2019
Iranian Journal of Public Health, Aug 1, 2018
Background: Due to the amphipathic properties of biosurfactants which act on surfaces and interfa... more Background: Due to the amphipathic properties of biosurfactants which act on surfaces and interfaces interest by a variety of industries such as cosmetic, pharmaceutical, bioremediation and petroleum-related industries has recently increased. Methods: Detection of a high-efficiency biosurfactant producer using preliminary screening methods from soil contaminated with crude oil was carried at the
Water Science and Technology, Dec 1, 1987
A pilot plant was constructed to investigate the use of algal-bacterial systems to treat municipa... more A pilot plant was constructed to investigate the use of algal-bacterial systems to treat municipal wastewaters in arid regions. The pilot plant consists of sand and oil traps, weir tanks, two facultative ponds (250 m 3 holding capacity each), two high-rate ponds (25 m 3 holding capacity each), four sedimentation tanks, a sludge digestor, and such auxiliary facilities as a pumping station for wastewater supply, drainage systems, and a site laboratory. The main objectives of the study are to determine the design parameters needed for large-scale algal-bacterial ponds in hot climates and to determine the degree of treatment and disinfection attained in the system by operating the pilot plant. After the algae is separated from the treated water, the final effluent will be used for irrigation, and algae will be used as a soil conditioner. Investigations during start-up, test runs and experiments completed so far focused on the growth of algae and removal of biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, and suspended solids. During the 20-month experimental program, various operating patterns, including series operation of facultative and high-rate ponds, will be investigated. Results obtained so far indicate significant reductions in pollution concentrations.
RSC Advances, 2018
Using 454 pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons, microbial communities in samples of injectio... more Using 454 pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons, microbial communities in samples of injection water and production water during a serial microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) field trial in a water flooded high pour point oil reservoir were determined. There was a close microbial community compositional relationship between the injection water and the successful first round MEOR processed oil reservoir which was indicated by the result of 43 shared dominant operational taxonomic units detected in both the injection water and the production water. Alterations of microbial community after the injection of boost nutrients showed that microbes giving positive responses were mainly those belonging to the genera of Comamonas, Brevundimonas, Azospirillum, Achromobacter, Pseudomonas, and Hyphomonas, which were detected both in the injection water and in the production water and usually detected in oil reservoir environments or associated with hydrocarbon degradation. Additionally, microbes only dominant in the production waters were significantly inhibited with a sharp decline in their relative abundance. Based on these findings, a suggestion of re-optimization of the boost nutrients, targetting the microbes co-existing in the injection water and the oil reservoir and having survival ability in both surface and subsurface environments, rather than simple repeats for the subsequent in situ MEOR applications was proposed.
Uploads
Papers by Ibrahim M Banat
bioactive molecules produced by a variety of
microorganisms. They are secondary metabolites
that accumulate at interfaces, reduce surface tension
and form micellar aggregates. This research
topic describes few novel microbial strains with
a focus on increasing our understanding of
genetics, physiology, regulation of biosurfactant
production and their commercial potentials. A
major stumbling block in the commercialization
of biosurfactants is their high cost of production.
Many factors play a significant role in making the
process cost-effective and the most important
one being the use of low-cost substrates such as
agricultural residues for the production of biosurfactants.
With the stringent government regulations
coming into effect in favor of production
and usage of the bio-based surfactants, many new
companies aim to commercialize technologies
used for the production of biosurfactants and
to bring down costs.
This Research Topic covers a compilation of original research articles, reviews and research
commentary submitted by researchers enthusiastically working in the field of biosurfactants
and highlights recent advances in our knowledge of the biosurfactants and understanding of the
biochemical and molecular mechanisms involved in their production, scale-up and industrial
applications. Apart from their diverse applications in the field of bioremediation, enhanced oil
recovery, cosmetic, food and medical industries, biosurfactants can also boast off their unique
eco-friendly nature to attract consumers and give the chemical surfactants a tough competition
in the global market.
This biosurfactant focused research topic aims to summarize the current achievements and
explore the direction of development for the future generation of biosurfactants and bioemulsi-
fiers. Some of the biosurfactant optimization processes presented are well-structured and already
have a well-established research community. We wish to stimulate on-going discussions at the
level of the biosurfactant production including common challenges in the process development,
novel organisms and new feedstock and technologies for maximum benefit, key features of next
generation biosurfactants and bioemulsifiers. We have compiled the research outputs of international
leaders in the filed of biosurfactant particularly on the development of a state-of-the-art
and highly-efficient process platform.