Bacterial biosurfactant: characterization, antimicrobial and metal remediation properties

Abstract

Biosurfactants are amphiphilic compounds i.e., they contain both hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties which partitions preferentially at the interfaces such as liquid/liquid, gas/liquid or solid/liquid interfaces. This facilitates properties like emulsification, foaming, detergency and dispersing. Their low toxicity and eco-friendly nature and the wide range of potential industrial applications in bioremediation, health care, food processing and oil industries makes them a highly useful group of chemical compounds. They are produced by a variety of microorganisms as extracellular compounds. Biosurfactants are superior to the chemical surfactants with respect to their biocompatibility, lower toxicity, higher biodegradability, higher stability, extreme stability in extreme temperature and pH. With the advent of time, this attribute is contributing its higher demand in the field of biotechnology. This study focus on the screening, production, extraction and purification of biosurfactant from bacteria isolated from petrochemical wastes and marine water and their chemical characteristics were elucidated. The antimicrobial activity of these biosurfactants was studied and their effect on lead remediation was also deliberated.