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Microbial Biosurfactant: A New Frontier for Sustainable Agriculture and Pharmaceutical Industries

Summary

This research explores how microorganisms can produce natural surfactants (biosurfactants) that have multiple beneficial applications in agriculture and medicine. These naturally-produced compounds are more environmentally friendly than chemical alternatives and can help improve crop production, fight plant diseases, and potentially treat human ailments. Impacts on everyday life: • More sustainable and safer agricultural practices through natural pest control and soil improvement • Potential development of new eco-friendly cleaning products and cosmetics • Development of new natural medicines and treatments with fewer side effects • Reduced environmental pollution from chemical surfactants • Improved food security through better crop protection methods

Background

In the current scenario of changing climatic conditions and rising global population, there is an urgent need to explore novel, efficient, and economical natural products for human benefit. Biosurfactants are recently explored microbial synthesized biomolecules used in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food processing, and environmental cleaning industries as raw materials for lubrication, wetting, foaming, emulsion formulations, and stabilizing dispersions.

Objective

This review aims to summarize the latest research on microbial synthesized biosurfactant compounds, the limiting factors of biosurfactant production, their application in improving soil quality and plant disease management, and their use as antioxidant or antimicrobial compounds in pharmaceutical industries.

Results

The review found that biosurfactants demonstrate significant potential across multiple applications. In agriculture, they improve soil quality by enhancing micronutrient availability and show effectiveness in plant disease management. In pharmaceutical applications, biosurfactants exhibit valuable antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. However, high production costs and low yields remain challenging factors limiting widespread industrial adoption.

Conclusion

Biosurfactants are considered multifunctional biomolecules of the 21st century due to their broad applications from daily life to industrial purposes. While they show great promise, especially as eco-friendly alternatives to chemical surfactants, challenges remain regarding production costs and yields. Further research is needed to optimize production methods and explore novel applications in disease treatment and drug delivery systems.
  • Published in:Antioxidants,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: 10.3390/antiox10091472
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