Sophorolipids: A comprehensive review on properties and applications

Sophorolipids are surface-active glycolipids produced by several non-pathogenic yeast species and are widely used as biosurfactants in several industrial applications. Sophorolipids provide a plethora of benefits over chemically synthesized surfactants for certain applications like bioremediation, oil recovery, and pharmaceuticals. They are, for instance less toxic, more benign and environment friendly in nature, biodegradable, freely adsorb to different surfaces, self-assembly in hydrated solutions, robustness for industrial applications etc. These miraculous properties result in valuable physicochemical attributes such as low critical micelle concentrations (CMCs), reduced interfacial surface tension, and capacity to dissolve non-polar components. Moreover, they exhibit a diverse range of physicochemical, functional, and biological attributes due to their unique molecular composition and structure. In this article, we highlight the physico-chemical properties of sophorolipids, how these properties are exploited by the human community for extensive benefits and the conditions which lead to their unique tailor-made structures and how they entail their interfacial behavior. Besides, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages associated with the use of these sophorolipids. We also review their physiological and functional attributes, along with their potential commercial applications, in real-world scenario. Biosurfactants are compared to their man-made equivalents to show the variations in structure-property correlations and possible benefits. Those attempting to manufacture purported natural or green surfactant with innovative and valuable qualities can benefit from an understanding of biosurfactant features structured along the same principles. The uniqueness of this review article is the detailed physico-chemical study of the sophorolipid biosurfactant and how these properties helps in their usage and detailed explicit study of their applications in the current scenario and also covering their pros and cons.

Automated summary

Sophorolipids are surface-active glycolipids produced by non-pathogenic yeast species and have extensive industrial applications due to their unique physicochemical properties. Compared to chemically synthesized surfactants, sophorolipids are less toxic, more environmentally friendly, biodegradable, and exhibit robustness for industrial applications. They also possess low critical micelle concentrations, reduced interfacial surface tension, and the ability to dissolve non-polar components. The article highlights the utilization of these properties, discusses the advantages and disadvantages of sophorolipids, and explores their potential commercial applications in real-world scenarios. The review also compares biosurfactants with man-made equivalents and provides insights for manufacturing natural or green surfactants with innovative qualities.