Application of Microorganisms in Biosurfactant Production

Abstract

Biosurfactants (BS) are multifunctional chemical compounds applied in a wide range of industrial sectors, e.g. bioremediation, water treatment, food processing, health, sanitizers, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. All these compounds are produced by archae, bacteria, yeasts, and molds. Large-scale production of surfactants is carried out using chemical processes, and some of the compounds involved in surfactant production are recognized as hazardous. Furthermore, chemical industrial processes represented a potential impact on the environment. In an attempt to solve such drawbacks, new biotechnological approaches have emerged in the last decades. BS obtained by these disruptive and sustainable pathways are indistinctly called BS or microbial surfactants. Since BS are generated through complex enzymatic transformations, such molecules can be obtained with sophisticated processes of molecular biology, genetic engineering, and careful selection of culture conditions. In this sense, solid-state fermentation is a promising technology for the production of BS using non-pathogenic microorganisms. Since BS act in the same way as conventional surfactants, they can create synergy with other chemical species to enhance performances, making possible ipso facto their insertion into the market via innovative formulations. In this chapter, definitions, classifications, producing microorganisms and technologies for generating BS are presented.