Biosurfactants: Production, properties, applications, trends, and general perspectives

Biosurfactants have become attractive microbial products in the emerging biotechnology industry due to their advantages over synthetic surfactants in terms of environmental sustainability, global public health, and the concerns of industries to produce environmentally friendly goods. The amphipathic structure of biosurfactants with hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties enable these molecules to play a key role in emulsification, foam formation, detergency, and oil dispersion activities, which are desirable traits in different industries. Several types of biosurfactants are commercially produced for applications in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries while others have promising roles in the food, petroleum, and agricultural industries. In this paper, we offer an extensive review of knowledge on microbial biosurfactants accumulated over the years. We also discuss current and promising industrial applications of biosurfactants as well as the advantages and challenges for their development and applications.