ABSTRACT
Biosurfactants are amphiphilic compounds produced by microorganisms containing both hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. These molecules reduce surface tension between aqueous solutions and hydrocarbon mixtures. The types of biosurfactants are glycolipids, phospholipids, lipoproteins or lipopeptides, and polymeric. Pseudomonas sp. produce a biosurfactant called rhamnolipids, based on the disaccharide (Rhamnose). Candida sp., which is one of the few yeasts to produce biosurfactants, produces a high yield of sophorolipids from vegetable oil and carbohydrates, whereas Bacillus sp. produces a lipopeptide usually referred to as surfactin. Cheap substrates can be used for production, including carbohydrates, vegetable oils, food wastes, cooked oils, fruit juices, and used engine oil. Biosurfactants have a wide range of industrial applications, including oil recovery, oil spill cleanup, textiles, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. This chapter illustrates biosurfactant production methods, and the application of biosurfactants in the remediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil and recovery of oil spills.
