Biosurfactants: Chemical Properties, Ecofriendly Environmental Applications, and Uses in the Industrial Energy Sector

Yslla Emanuelly da Silva Faccioli, Kaio Wêdann de Oliveira, Jenyffer Medeiros Campos-Guerra, Attilio Converti, Rita de Cássia F. Soares da Silva and Leonie A. Sarubbo ()
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Yslla Emanuelly da Silva Faccioli: Rede Nordeste de Biotecnologia (RENORBIO), Universidade Federal Rural Pernambuco (UFRPE), Rua Dom Manuel de Medeiros, s/n—Dois Irmãos, Recife 52171-900, Brazil
Kaio Wêdann de Oliveira: Instituto Avançado de Tecnologia e Inovação (IATI), Rua Potyra, n. 31, Prado, Recife 50751-310, Brazil
Jenyffer Medeiros Campos-Guerra: Departamento de Engenharia Química, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. Prof. Moraes Rego, 1235, Cidade Universitária, Recife 50670-901, Brazil
Attilio Converti: Instituto Avançado de Tecnologia e Inovação (IATI), Rua Potyra, n. 31, Prado, Recife 50751-310, Brazil
Rita de Cássia F. Soares da Silva: Instituto Avançado de Tecnologia e Inovação (IATI), Rua Potyra, n. 31, Prado, Recife 50751-310, Brazil
Leonie A. Sarubbo: Rede Nordeste de Biotecnologia (RENORBIO), Universidade Federal Rural Pernambuco (UFRPE), Rua Dom Manuel de Medeiros, s/n—Dois Irmãos, Recife 52171-900, Brazil

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 20, 1-34

Abstract: The exploitation of nature and the increase in manufacturing production are the cause of major environmental concerns, and considerable efforts are needed to resolve such issues. Oil and petroleum derivatives constitute the primary energy sources used in industries. However, the transportation and use of these products have huge environmental impacts. A significant issue with oil-related pollution is that hydrocarbons are highly toxic and have low biodegradability, posing a risk to ecosystems and biodiversity. Thus, there has been growing interest in the use of renewable compounds from natural sources. Biosurfactants are amphipathic microbial biomolecules emerging as sustainable alternatives with beneficial characteristics, including biodegradability and low toxicity. Biosurfactants and biosurfactant-producing microorganisms serve as an ecologically correct bioremediation strategy for ecosystems polluted by hydrocarbons. Moreover, synthetic surfactants can constitute additional recalcitrant contaminants introduced into the environment, leading to undesirable outcomes. The replacement of synthetic surfactants with biosurfactants can help solve such problems. Thus, there has been growing interest in the use of biosurfactants in a broad gamut of industrial sectors. The purpose of this review was to furnish a comprehensive view of biosurfactants, classifications, properties, and applications in the environmental and energy fields. In particular, practical applications of biosurfactants in environmental remediation are discussed, with special focus on bioremediation, removal of heavy metals, phytoremediation, microbial enhanced oil recovery, metal corrosion inhibition, and improvements in agriculture. The review also describes innovating decontamination methods, including nanobioremediation, use of genetically modified microorganisms, enzymatic bioremediation, modeling and prototyping, biotechnology, and process engineering. Research patents and market prospects are also discussed to illustrate trends in environmental and industrial applications of biosurfactants.

Keywords: biosurfactant; environmental contamination; remediation; industrial applications; environmental biotechnology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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