221
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to
Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
K. M. Gothandam et al. (eds.), Environmental Biotechnology Vol. 3,
Environmental Chemistry for a Sustainable World 50,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48973-1_8
Chapter 8
Marine Microbial Biosurfactants:
Ecological and Environmental Applications
K. V. Deepika, G. Mohana Sheela, and Pallaval Veera Bramhachari
Contents
8.1 Introduction
222
8.2 Role of Biosurfactants in Marine Bioremediation
223
8.3 Role of Biosurfactants in Bioremediation of Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons
224
8.4 Role of Biosurfactants in Bioremediation of Metal-Contaminated Soils
225
8.5 Role of Biosurfactants in Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery
226
8.6 Role of Biosurfactants in Petroleum Industry and Remediation of Oil Spills
226
8.7 Role of Biosurfactants in Bioremediation of Recalcitrants
227
8.8 Conclusions
228
References
229
Abstract The application of microbial biosurfactants in environmental technologies is
gaining interest due to growing environmental concerns. Recently, immense attention is
given to the environmental issues caused by synthetic surfactants owing to their toxicity
and complexity in being decomposed in the environment. Microbial biosurfactants are
promising because of their biodegradability, low toxicity, and efficacy in increasing biodegradation and solubilization of insoluble compounds at extreme environmental conditions. These molecules are impending substitutes for chemical surfactants in various
industrial and environmental applications, such as lubrication, wetting, softening, emulsion forming, stabilization of dispersions, anti- foaming, enhanced oil recovery, as well
as bioremediation of oil, heavy metals, pesticides, and organic/inorganic contaminants.
The current review emphasizes a comprehensive overview on the environmental applications of biosurfactants and their role in various environmental processes.
Keywords Microbial biosurfactants · Bioremediation · Enhanced oil recovery ·
Environment
Authors K. V. Deepika, G. Mohana Sheela have equally contributed to this chapter.
K. V. Deepika · G. M. Sheela · P. V. Bramhachari (*)
Department of Biotechnology, Krishna University, Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to
Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
K. M. Gothandam et al. (eds.), Environmental Biotechnology Vol. 3,
Environmental Chemistry for a Sustainable World 50,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48973-1_8
Chapter 8
Marine Microbial Biosurfactants:
Ecological and Environmental Applications
K. V. Deepika, G. Mohana Sheela, and Pallaval Veera Bramhachari
Contents
8.1 Introduction
222
8.2 Role of Biosurfactants in Marine Bioremediation
223
8.3 Role of Biosurfactants in Bioremediation of Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons
224
8.4 Role of Biosurfactants in Bioremediation of Metal-Contaminated Soils
225
8.5 Role of Biosurfactants in Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery
226
8.6 Role of Biosurfactants in Petroleum Industry and Remediation of Oil Spills
226
8.7 Role of Biosurfactants in Bioremediation of Recalcitrants
227
8.8 Conclusions
228
References
229
Abstract The application of microbial biosurfactants in environmental technologies is
gaining interest due to growing environmental concerns. Recently, immense attention is
given to the environmental issues caused by synthetic surfactants owing to their toxicity
and complexity in being decomposed in the environment. Microbial biosurfactants are
promising because of their biodegradability, low toxicity, and efficacy in increasing biodegradation and solubilization of insoluble compounds at extreme environmental conditions. These molecules are impending substitutes for chemical surfactants in various
industrial and environmental applications, such as lubrication, wetting, softening, emulsion forming, stabilization of dispersions, anti- foaming, enhanced oil recovery, as well
as bioremediation of oil, heavy metals, pesticides, and organic/inorganic contaminants.
The current review emphasizes a comprehensive overview on the environmental applications of biosurfactants and their role in various environmental processes.
Keywords Microbial biosurfactants · Bioremediation · Enhanced oil recovery ·
Environment
Authors K. V. Deepika, G. Mohana Sheela have equally contributed to this chapter.
K. V. Deepika · G. M. Sheela · P. V. Bramhachari (*)
Department of Biotechnology, Krishna University, Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India