Editorial: Biosurfactants – next-generation biomolecules for enhanced biodegradation of organic pollutants, volume II

Author: mycolabadmin
11/12/2024
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Summary

Organic pollutants like oil, plastics, and pesticides are dangerous because they persist in the environment and accumulate in living organisms. Biosurfactants are eco-friendly molecules produced by microorganisms that can help break down these stubborn pollutants more effectively than traditional chemical methods. This research shows that biosurfactants can be produced cheaply using agricultural waste and have potential applications in cleaning up oil spills, treating contaminated soil, and even healing wounds.

Background

Organic pollutants such as hydrocarbons, microplastics, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and organochlorine pesticides are highly toxic to the environment and human health due to their hydrophobic characteristics and persistence in the environment. Traditional physicochemical methods for pollutant removal often create secondary pollution through toxic byproducts. Biosurfactants offer eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic surfactants for enhancing biodegradation of these persistent pollutants.

Objective

This editorial presents volume II of a research topic focused on updating recent trends in bioremediation applications using biosurfactants for the enhanced removal of various hydrophobic pollutants. The goal is to highlight the efficacy and importance of biosurfactants in environmental and industrial applications and emphasize the need for in-depth studies to improve biosurfactant screening and production for large-scale applications.

Results

Six key studies demonstrated the efficacy of biosurfactants: rhamnolipid-based nano-herb ointments showed enhanced wound healing properties; Pseudomonas oryzihabitans produced rhamnolipids with critical micelle concentration of 33 mN m⁻¹ suitable for crude oil remediation; Hypocrea lixii produced surfactin-type biosurfactants enhancing degradation of hydrophobic pollutants; thermophilic bacteria produced biosurfactants using waste sunflower frying oil; and biosurfactants were successfully applied in petroleum industry for microbial-enhanced oil recovery and corrosion inhibition.

Conclusion

Biosurfactants demonstrate significant potential as eco-friendly, biodegradable alternatives to synthetic surfactants for environmental remediation and industrial applications. The research emphasizes the importance of screening potential microbial strains, optimizing production conditions using waste substrates, and conducting field studies to validate large-scale bioremediation applications. Future in-depth studies are essential for improving biosurfactant production strategies and expanding their environmental and industrial applications.

Published in:Frontiers in Microbiology,
Study Type:Editorial/Review,
Source: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1513087, PMID: 39600570