ABSTRACT
Surfactants are amphiphilic, surface-active molecules commonly found in soaps, shampoos, detergents and a number of consumer products. Biosurfactants are surfactants derived from microbes that concentrate at the interfaces of immiscible fluids and reduce the interfacial tension between them. Apart from their surface activity, biosurfactants exhibit several beneficial properties, such as low eco-toxicity, higher activity and stability, good biodegradability, antibiotic properties and excellent foaming, emulsifying and wetting abilities. By virtue of the preceding properties, biosurfactants have found their applications in diverse fields, including environmental bioremediation, food technology, biotechnology, agriculture and medical applications. The demand for biosurfactants is steadily increasing as alternatives to chemical surfactants as they are environmentally compatible both in production and in application. This chapter provides an overview of biosurfactants and their properties, with a main focus on potential environmental applications of biosurfactants.
