Biosurfactant production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from mining waste: From genomic analysis to development of a polymeric composite for removal of hexavalent chromium

Abstract Environmental contamination by heavy metals represents a significant challenge due to their persistence in ecosystems. This study aimed to identify a bacterium isolated from copper tailings, optimize the production of biosurfactant (BioS) using andiroba waste as a sole nutrient source, develop a composite based on alginate and BioS, called Alg/BioS, and evaluate the removal of chromium (Cr 6+ ) from aqueous solutions. The bacterium was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa by genomic analysis. Under optimized conditions, BioS production yielded approximately 3.9 g L −1 in the culture medium, with the purified product demonstrating a reduction in water surface tension to 23 mN m −1 . Alg/BioS composite beads were synthesized via ionotropic crosslinking, in three distinct formulations: Alg/BioS‐1, Alg/BioS‐5, and Alg/BioS‐10, with 1, 5, and 10 g L −1 of BioS, respectively. Metal removal assays demonstrated that the composites were significantly more efficient than pure alginate, with the Alg/BioS‐10 formulation achieving up to 75% removal of Cr 6+ . While the Alg/BioS‐10 material showed the highest initial performance, reusability tests revealed that the Alg/BioS‐5 composite offered a superior balance of efficiency and structural stability over five cycles. These findings validate the potential of the Alg/BioS composite as a sustainable alternative for the bioremediation of heavy metals in aquatic environments. © 2026 The Author(s). Polymer International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.