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Biosurfactants: Trends and Applications

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A special issue of Colloids and Interfaces (ISSN 2504-5377).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2018) | Viewed by 44385

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Dr. Angela F. Cunha

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Department of Biology & CESAM, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Interests: applied and environmental microbiology; microbial interactions and biotic relation involving microrganisms; plant-bacteria interactions; rhizosphere microbiology and stress responses; plant growth promoting rhizobacteria; halophilic bacteria and related bioactive compounds; microbial biofilms; photodynamic inactivation of bacteria and fungi in environmental matrices
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Dear Colleagues,

Biosurfactants are surface active agents produced by microorganisms that have higher efficiency and stability, lower toxicity and higher biocompatibility and biodegradability than chemical surfactants. These molecules have a wide range of applications in environmental and industrial processes and as ingredients in antifouling formulations, foods, detergents, cosmetics and personal care products.

The generalized use of biosurfactants is still limited by the high production costs when compared to petrochemically-derived surfactants. As a result, the development of biosurfactant-based industrial products must overcome important challenges in order to attain economic viability.

In the attempt of reducing production costs, “super-producing” strains have been surveyed from a wide range of habitats and bacterial co-cultures have been tested. The use of industrial waste materials as low-cost substrates has also been successfully demonstrated. Furthermore, the production of biosurfactants by microaerophilic facultative anaerobic bacteria has been tested as a strategy of reducing the need for aeration and associated foaming.

During the last few decades, biosurfactants have been demonstrated as mediators of the antifouling effects of some marine microbes. “Blue Biotechnology” represents, therefore, a new breath on bacterial biosurfactant prospection. The encapsulation within release-controlled systems for the long-term prevention of microbial colonization is a second line of approaches to enhance efficiency and optimize cost-benefit ratio.

This Special Issue will address these topics, as well as other perspectives on current research and future perspectives for microbial biosurfactant production and applications:

Producing organisms and molecules
Biosurfactants from extremophiles
Anaerobes as biosurfactant producers
Physiology and biochemistry of biosurfactant production
Optimized cultivation strategies for reducing production costs
Biosurfactant expression in heterologous hosts
Industrial and environmental applications
Applications in MEOR and petroleum industry
Biomedical and therapeutic applications
Biosurfactant-based antifouling materials

SI Best Paper Award (300 CHF) will be selected from this SI.

Prof. Dr. Angela F. Cunha
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 2551 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Release of Pharmaceutical Peptides in an Aggregated State: Using Fibrillar Polymorphism to Modulate Release Levels

by Jens K. Madsen, Gunna Christiansen, Lise Giehm and Daniel E. Otzen

Colloids Interfaces 2019, 3(1), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids3010042 - 26 Mar 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2779

Abstract

Traditional approaches to achieve sustained delivery of pharmaceutical peptides traditionally use co-excipients (e.g., microspheres and hydrogels). Here, we investigate the release of an amyloidogenic glucagon analogue (3474) from an aggregated state and the influence of surfactants on this process. The formulation of peptide 3474 in dodecyl maltoside (DDM), rhamnolipid (RL), and sophorolipid (SL) led to faster fibrillation. When the aggregates were subjected to multiple cycles of release by repeated resuspension in fresh buffer, the kinetics of the release of soluble peptide 3474 from different surfactant aggregates all followed a simple exponential decay fit, with half-lives of 5–18 min and relatively constant levels of release in each cycle. However, different amounts of peptide are released from different aggregates, ranging from 0.015 mg/mL (3475-buffer) up to 0.03 mg/mL (3474-DDM), with 3474-buffer and 3474-RL in between. In addition to higher release levels, 3474-DDM aggregates showed a different amyloid FTIR structure, compared to 3474-RL and 3474-SL aggregates and a faster rate of degradation by proteinase K. This demonstrates that the stability of organized peptide aggregates can be modulated to achieve differences in release of soluble peptides, thus coupling aggregate polymorphism to differential release profiles. We achieved aggregate polymorphism by the addition of different surfactants, but polymorphism may also be reached through other approaches, including different excipients as well as changes in pH and salinity, providing a versatile handle to control release profiles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosurfactants: Trends and Applications)

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12 pages, 2059 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Production of a Biosurfactant by Cunninghamella echinulata Using Renewable Substrates and Its Applications in Enhanced Oil Spill Recovery

by Patrícia Mendes De Souza, Nadielly R. Andrade Silva, Daniele G. Souza, Thayse A. Lima e Silva, Marta C. Freitas-Silva, Rosileide F. S. Andrade, Grayce K. B. Silva, Clarissa D. C. Albuquerque, Arminda Saconi Messias and Galba M. Campos-Takaki

Colloids Interfaces 2018, 2(4), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids2040063 - 24 Nov 2018

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3530

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the production of a surfactant by Cunninghamella echinulata, using agro-industrial residues, corn steep liquor (CSL), and soybean oil waste (SOW). The study had a factorial design, using as a variable response to the reduction of surface tension. C. echinulata was able to produce biosurfactant in assay, CSL (8.82%) and SOW (2%). The results showed that the biosurfactant was successfully produced by C. echinulata and had attractive properties, such as a low surface tension (31.7 mN/m), a yield of 5.18 g/L at 120 h of cultivation, and an anionic profile. It also achieved a reduction in surface tension stability in a wide range of pH values, temperatures, and salinity values. The biosurfactant produced by C. echinulata showed an absence of toxicity to Artemia salina. The influence of the biosurfactant on the viscosity of engine oil, burnt engine oil, diesel, soybean oil post-frying, canola oil, and water was investigated. The results reveal a mechanism for the decrease of the viscosity using hydrophobic substrates and the new biosurfactant solution at 1.5% of the (CMC). This enables the formulation of a low-cost culture medium alternative, based on corn steep liquor and the reuse of soybean oil after frying to produce a biosurfactant. Additionally, performance of the biosurfactant isolated from C. echinulata showed an excellent ability to remove spilled oil, such as diesel (98.7%) and kerosene (92.3%) from marine sand. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosurfactants: Trends and Applications)

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13 pages, 2208 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Efficient Bioemulsifier-Producing Bacillus subtilis UCP 0146 Isolated from Mangrove Sediments

by Patrícia C. V. S. Maia, Vanessa P. Santos, Adriana S. Fereira, Marcos A. C. Luna, Thayse A. L. Silva, Rosileide F. S. Andrade and Galba M. Campos-Takaki

Colloids Interfaces 2018, 2(4), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids2040058 - 13 Nov 2018

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3388

Abstract

In this work, we investigated the potential of Bacillus subtilis UCP 0146 in the bioconversion of a medium containing 100% cassava flour wastewater to obtain a bioemulsifier. The evaluation of the production was carried out by the emulsification index (IE₂₄) and the surface tension (ST). The ionic charge, stability (temperature, salinity, and pH measured by IE₂₄ and viscosity), and ability to remove and disperse oil and textile dye were investigated. B. subtilis produced an anionic bioemulsifier in the medium containing 100% cassava wastewater under Condition 4 of the factorial design (inoculum 9% at a temperature of 35 °C and shaken at 100 rpm), and showed a surface tension of 39 mN/m, an IE₂₄ of 95.2%, and a yield of 2.69 g·L⁻¹. The bioemulsifier showed stability at different pH (2–8), temperatures (0–120 °C), and NaCl concentrations, a dispersion oil displacement area (ODA) test of 55.83 cm², and a reduction of the viscosity of the burned engine oil (90.5 Cp). The bioemulsifier was able to remove petroleum (94.4%) and methylene blue azo dye (62.2%). The bioemulsifier and its synthesis from bacteria also emphasizes the role of surfactants in oil remediation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosurfactants: Trends and Applications)

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17 pages, 2696 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Culture Medium Optimization for Production of Rhamnolipids by Burkholderia glumae

by Arvin Nickzad, Claude Guertin and Eric Déziel

Colloids Interfaces 2018, 2(4), 49; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids2040049 - 18 Oct 2018

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3589

Abstract

Burkholderia glumae is a biosafety level 1 bacterium capable of producing rhamnolipid biosurfactant with longer 3-hydroxy fatty acid chains moieties than those produced by the prototypal producer, the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Although the capacity of production of rhamnolipid, and the parameters affecting this production, are well established for P. aeruginosa, little is known about the factors that may affect their production in B. glumae. Hence, to evaluate and enhance the production of rhamnolipids in B. glumae, following the selection of best carbon and nitrogen sources, a two-level fractional factorial design experiment was performed to identify the limiting factors significantly affecting the production of rhamnolipids in this bacterial species. Effects of six inorganic nutrients and two physical parameters were studied, and mannitol, urea, CaCl₂, and potassium phosphate buffer were selected for further optimization by applying a response surface methodology (RSM). Under the identified optimized conditions, a rhamnolipid production of 1.66 g/L was obtained, about five times higher than that of the initial non-optimized conditions. This represents a key step in the development of large-scale production processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosurfactants: Trends and Applications)

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15 pages, 2416 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Ion Flotation of La³⁺, Cd²⁺, and Cs⁺ using Monorhamnolipid Collector

by David E. Hogan, Joan E. Curry and Raina M. Maier

Colloids Interfaces 2018, 2(4), 43; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids2040043 - 04 Oct 2018

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3222

Abstract

Water scarcity is a global issue that is expected to continue increasing in importance in the coming decades. Reclaimed water is one important source available to meet future needs. The reclamation process for wastewaters, particularly from industrial sources, involves the need to remove low-level contaminants. Here we report the efficacy of an ion flotation process that uses the biosurfactant monorhamnolipid as a metal collector to recover Cs⁺, Cd²⁺, and La³⁺ from water. These elements were tested at collector-to-colligend ratios of 2, 5, and 10. The collector-to-colligend ratio and metal valence play a large role in determining flotation success with removal efficiencies varying widely. The maximum removal efficiency for the metals when floated individually were 46.2, 99.8, and 98.6% for Cs⁺, Cd²⁺, and La³⁺, respectively. When mixed together at near equimolar concentrations removal efficiencies were 39.4, 98.4, and 88.1%, respectively. Removal efficiency for Cs⁺, Cd²⁺, and La³⁺ were up to 49.9, 99.5, and 51.5% when mixed at a ratio of 200:10:1, whereas conditional stability constants predict a removal order of La³⁺ > Cd²⁺> Cs⁺. Future research should examine parameters, including pH and ionic strength, that may affect the flotation process as well as actual metal-contaminated waste streams to evaluate the usefulness of this technology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosurfactants: Trends and Applications)

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13 pages, 3121 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Increasing Uniformity of Biosurfactant Production in Starmerella bombicola via the Expression of Chimeric Cytochrome P450s

by Robin Geys, Marilyn De Graeve, Sofie Lodens, Jeroen Van Malderen, Christophe Lemmens, Margaux De Smet, Stein Mincke, Inge N. A. Van Bogaert, Christian Stevens, Sofie L. De Maeseneire, Sophie L. K. W. Roelants and Wim K. G. Soetaert

Colloids Interfaces 2018, 2(4), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids2040042 - 03 Oct 2018

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3557

Abstract

Sophorolipids are one of the best known microbial biosurfactants and are produced by several yeast species. The best studied producer is Starmerella bombicola, a non-pathogenic yeast associated in nature with bumblebees. Sophorolipids are built up of the rare disaccharide sophorose, which is attached to a fatty acid through a glyosidic bound. Sophorolipids produced by S. bombicola mainly contain oleic acid as the incorporated hydrophobic group. Other chain lengths can, to a certain content, be incorporated by feeding the yeast with substrates of alternative chain lengths. However, the efficiency for such substrates is low as compared to the preferred C18 chain length and defined by the substrate specificity of the first enzymatic step in sophorolipid biosynthesis, i.e., the cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP52M1. To increase product uniformity and diversity at the same time, a new strain of S. bombicola was developed that produces sophorolipids with a palmitic acid acyl chain. This was achieved by heterologous expression of the cytochrome P450 cyp1 gene of Ustilago maydis and feeding with palmitic acid. Optimization of the production was done by protein and process engineering. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosurfactants: Trends and Applications)

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10 pages, 1867 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cholate Adsorption Behavior at Carbon Electrode Interface and Its Promotional Effect in Laccase Direct Bioelectrocatalysis

by Masato Tominaga, Motofumi Tsutsui and Takuya Takatori

Colloids Interfaces 2018, 2(3), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids2030033 - 21 Aug 2018

Viewed by 2897

Abstract

Fast electron transfer between laccase (Lac) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) can be achieved at a cholate-modified SWCNT interface. Furthermore, the catalytic reduction of O₂ starts at a high potential, close to the equilibrium redox potential of the O₂/H₂O couple. A sodium cholate (SC)-modified electrode interface provides suitable conditions for Lac direct bioelectrocatalysis. In the present study, the SC promotional effect in Lac direct bioelectrocatalysis was investigated using various types of electrode materials. The fully hydrophilic surface of indium tin oxide and an Au electrode surface did not show a SC promotional effect, because SC did not bind to these surfaces. A carbon surface with a large number of defects was unsuitable for SC binding because of hydrophilic functional groups at the defect sites. Carbon surfaces with few defects, for example, basal-plane highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG), gave a SC promotional effect. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosurfactants: Trends and Applications)

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Review

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19 pages, 3867 KiB

Open AccessReview

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Protein Biosurfactants

by David L. Cheung and Suman Samantray

Colloids Interfaces 2018, 2(3), 39; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids2030039 - 08 Sep 2018

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 6026

Abstract

Surfaces and interfaces are ubiquitous in nature and are involved in many biological processes. Due to this, natural organisms have evolved a number of methods to control interfacial and surface properties. Many of these methods involve the use of specialised protein biosurfactants, which due to the competing demands of high surface activity, biocompatibility, and low solution aggregation may take structures that differ from the traditional head–tail structure of small molecule surfactants. As well as their biological functions, these proteins have also attracted interest for industrial applications, in areas including food technology, surface modification, and drug delivery. To understand the biological functions and technological applications of protein biosurfactants, it is necessary to have a molecular level description of their behaviour, in particular at surfaces and interfaces, for which molecular simulation is well suited to investigate. In this review, we will give an overview of simulation studies of a number of examples of protein biosurfactants (hydrophobins, surfactin, and ranaspumin). We will also outline some of the key challenges and future directions for molecular simulation in the investigation of protein biosurfactants and how this can help guide future developments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosurfactants: Trends and Applications)

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18 pages, 276 KiB

Open AccessReview

Statistical Design, a Powerful Tool for Optimizing Biosurfactant Production: A Review

by Brandt Bertrand, Fernando Martínez-Morales, Nashbly Sarela Rosas-Galván, Daniel Morales-Guzmán and María R. Trejo-Hernández

Colloids Interfaces 2018, 2(3), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids2030036 - 02 Sep 2018

Cited by 46 | Viewed by 5399

Abstract

Biosurfactants (Bs) have been studied for decades and applied in different industrial sectors because of their competitive biochemical characteristics, and the fact that they are environmentally friendly. Current scientific investigations mainly involve the search for novel Bs producing organisms with attractive characteristics. Bs are expected to replace synthetic surfactants in the near future, but low production yields and inefficient downstream processes have prevented their widespread use. Although there are numerous reports on Bs optimization, to date there has been no critical compilation or revision of the statistical designs and strategies employed for improved production. The purpose of this mini review is to briefly discuss the factors that affect Bs production and the importance of statistical design as an essential tool for increasing production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosurfactants: Trends and Applications)

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22 pages, 2789 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

The Impact of Biosurfactants on Microbial Cell Properties Leading to Hydrocarbon Bioavailability Increase

by Ewa Kaczorek, Amanda Pacholak, Agata Zdarta and Wojciech Smułek

Colloids Interfaces 2018, 2(3), 35; https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids2030035 - 26 Aug 2018

Cited by 110 | Viewed by 8487

Abstract

The environment pollution with hydrophobic hydrocarbons is a serious problem that requires development of efficient strategies that would lead to bioremediation of contaminated areas. One of the common methods used for enhancement of biodegradation of pollutants is the addition of biosurfactants. Several mechanisms have been postulated as responsible for hydrocarbons bioavailability enhancement with biosurfactants. They include solubilization and desorption of pollutants as well as modification of bacteria cell surface properties. The presented review contains a wide discussion of these mechanisms in the context of alteration of bioremediation efficiency with biosurfactants. It brings new light to such a complex and important issue. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosurfactants: Trends and Applications)

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