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Abstract:
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Biosurfactants are surface active compounds released by microorganisms. They are biodegradable non-toxic and
eco-friendly materials. In this review we have updated the information about different microbial surfactants. The
biosurfactant production depends on the fermentation conditions, environmental factors and nutrient availability. The
extraction of the biosurfactants from the cell-free supernatant using the solvent extraction procedure and the qualitative
and quantitative analysis has been discussed with appropriate equipment details. The application of the biosurfactant
includes biomedical, cosmetic and bioremediation. The type of microbial biosurfactants include trehalose lipids,
rhamnolipids, sophorolipids, glycolipids, cellobiose lipids, polyol lipids, diglycosyl diglycerides, lipoloysaccharides,
arthrofactin, lichensyn A and B, surfactin, viscosin, phospholipids, sulphonyl lipids and fatty acids. Rhamnolipid
biosurfactants produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa DS10-129 showed significant applications in the bioremediation of
hydrocarbons in gasoline spilled soil and petroleum oily sludge. Rhamnolipid biosurfactant enhanced the bioremediation
process by releasing the weathered oil from the soil matrices and enhanced the bioavailability of hydrocarbons for microbial
degradation. It is having potential applications in the remediation of hydrocarbon contaminated sites. Biosurfactants from
marine microorganisms also offer great potential in bioremediation of oil contaminated oceanic environments |