A review on biosurfactants: properties, applications and current developments

Microbial surfactants are a large number of amphipathic biomolecules with a myriad of biomolecule constituents from various microbial sources that have been studied for their surface tension reduction activities. With unique properties, their applications have been increased in different areas including environment, medicine, healthcare, agriculture and industries. The present review aims to study the biochemistry and biosynthesis of biosurfactants exhibiting varying biomolecular structures which are produced by different microbial sources. It also provides details on roles played by biosurfactants in nature as well as their potential applications in various sectors. Basic biomolecule content of all the biosurfactants studied showed presence of carbohydrates, aminoacids, lipids and fattyacids. The data presented here would help in designing, synthesis and application of tailormade novel biosurfactants. This would pave a way for perspectives of research on biosurfactants to overcome the existing bottlenecks in this field.

Automated summary

This review explores the biochemistry and biosynthesis of microbial surfactants, highlighting their potential applications in various sectors. Analysis reveals that all studied biosurfactants contain carbohydrates, aminoacids, lipids, and fattyacids, providing a foundation for the design and application of novel biosurfactants.