Biosurfactant
Pure & Appl. Chern., Vol. 64, No. 11, pp. 1731-1737,1992, Printed in Great Britain. @ 1992 IUPAC
Biosurfactants in industry
N. KOSARIC
Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5B9
ABSTRACT
Biosurfactants (Microbial Surface Active Agents) have become recently an important product of biotechnology for industrial and medical applications. Thereason for their popularity, as high value microbial products, is primarily in their specific action, low toxicity, relative ease of preparation and widespread applicaility. They can be used as emulsifiers, de-emulsifiers, wetting agents, spreading agents, foaming agents, functional food ingredients and detergents in various industrial sectors such as . Petroleum and Petrochemicals, Organic Chemicals, Foods and Beverages, Cosmetics and Pharmaceuticals, Mining and Metallurgy, Agrochemicals and Fertilizers, Environmental Control and Management, and many others.
INTRODUCTION
The unique properties of biosurfactants allow their use and possible replacement of chemically synthesized surfactants in a great number of industrial operations. Surfactants are used by many industries and one could easily say that there is almost no modern industrial operation where properties of surfaces and surface active agents are not exploited. The potential application of biosurfactants in industries is also a reality. There are many advantages of biosurfactants as compared to their chemically synthesized counterparts. Some of those are: Biodegradability. Generally low toxicity. Biocompatability and digestibility, which allows their application in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and as functional food additives. Availability of raw materials. Biosurfactants can be produced from cheap raw materials which are available in large quantities. The carbon source may come from hydrocarbons, carbohydrates and/or lipids, which may be used separately or in combination with each other.
Biosurfactants in industry
N. KOSARIC
Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5B9
ABSTRACT
Biosurfactants (Microbial Surface Active Agents) have become recently an important product of biotechnology for industrial and medical applications. Thereason for their popularity, as high value microbial products, is primarily in their specific action, low toxicity, relative ease of preparation and widespread applicaility. They can be used as emulsifiers, de-emulsifiers, wetting agents, spreading agents, foaming agents, functional food ingredients and detergents in various industrial sectors such as . Petroleum and Petrochemicals, Organic Chemicals, Foods and Beverages, Cosmetics and Pharmaceuticals, Mining and Metallurgy, Agrochemicals and Fertilizers, Environmental Control and Management, and many others.
INTRODUCTION
The unique properties of biosurfactants allow their use and possible replacement of chemically synthesized surfactants in a great number of industrial operations. Surfactants are used by many industries and one could easily say that there is almost no modern industrial operation where properties of surfaces and surface active agents are not exploited. The potential application of biosurfactants in industries is also a reality. There are many advantages of biosurfactants as compared to their chemically synthesized counterparts. Some of those are: Biodegradability. Generally low toxicity. Biocompatability and digestibility, which allows their application in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and as functional food additives. Availability of raw materials. Biosurfactants can be produced from cheap raw materials which are available in large quantities. The carbon source may come from hydrocarbons, carbohydrates and/or lipids, which may be used separately or in combination with each other.
References: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. McInerney, M.J., Javaheri, M. and Nagle, D.P. Ind. Microbiology 5,95-102,1990. Boulton, C.A. and Ratledge, C., in Kosaric, N., Gray, N.C.C. and Cairns, W.L. (4s): Biosurfactants and Biotechnology, 48-87, 1987. Kosaric, N., Cairns, W.L., Gray, N.C.C., Stachey, D.M. and Wood, J. Oil Chem.Soc. 61(II), 1735-1743, 1984. Cooper, D.G. and Paddock, D.A. Appl. Env. Microbiology 47, 173-176, 1984. Bubela, B. in: Kosaric,N., et al. (eds) Biosurfactants and Biotechnology, pp. 143-161,Marcel Dekker, New York, 19871 Shennan, J.L. and Levi, J.D. in: Kosaric, N.,et al. (eds) biosurfactants and Biotechnology, pp. 163-181, Marcel Dekker, New York, 1987. Kosaric, N., Cairns, W.L. and Gray,N.C.C. Microbial De-emulsifiers. in: Kosaric,N. et al. ( 4 s ) Biosurfactants and Biotechnology, pp. 248-321, Marcel Dekker, New York, 1987.