The authors explain that microbial biosurfactants are low-molecular-weight, surface-active compounds that have gained significant industrial interest due to their chemical stability across various environmental conditions.
The researchers point out that the specific chemistry and production cost of a biosurfactant are determined by the choice of microorganism, the substrate used, and the purification strategy. Currently, the primary field of application for these compounds is solving environmental problems, particularly the bioremediation of soils contaminated with hydrocarbons or heavy metals.
According to the study, biosurfactants act as chelating agents when dealing with heavy metals. However, their more typical environmental mechanism involves reducing surface tension to facilitate the emulsification and solubilization of pollutants, a process often used in biostimulation or bioaugmentation.
The authors also highlight that while biosurfactants generally have low toxicity, they can function as biocidal agents at higher concentrations. Furthermore, the review emphasizes that using organic waste as a substrate via solid-state fermentation has increased the relevance of biosurfactants within a circular economy.
Ultimately, the paper summarizes recent research on biosurfactants as an alternative to chemical surfactants and presents novel strategies for their use as agricultural and biocidal agents.
Learn more about this study here: https://doi.org/10.1080/21655979.2022.2074621
Reference:
Eras-Muñoz, E., Farré, A., Sánchez, A., Font, X., & Gea, T. (2022). Microbial biosurfactants: A review of recent environmental applications. Bioengineered, 13(5), 12365–12391.