Biosurfactants are useful tools for the bioremediation of contaminated soil: a review

Abstract

Bioremediation processes are negatively affected by the low aqueous solubility of some contaminants; therefore their bioavailability may be enhanced by the addition of surfactants. These compounds are organic molecules that can be chemically and biologically produced. Surfactants contain both hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups, therefore reducing surface and interfacial tensions of immiscible fluids and increasing the solubility and sorption of hydrophobic organic and inorganic compounds. This article provides an overview of characteristics of natural and synthetic surfactants and the effects of biosurfactants on solubility, sorption and biodegradation of hydrophobic organic contaminants; as well as the effects of biosurfactants on degrader microorganisms as white-rot fungi. Finally, some examples of application of natural surfactants for bioremediation of contaminated soils are shown. In general, this overview indicates the great potential of biosurfactants on the remediation of contaminated sites.

Biosurfactant-enhanced bioremediation of aged polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in creosote contaminated soil

“…Several treatment strategies involving biological, physicochemical, and thermal processes have been developed to remediate contaminated sites. Methods such as incineration, excavation, landfilling and storage are expensive, inefficient, and often exchange one problem for another (Bustamante et al, 2012). Biological treatment, on the other hand, offers low cost and more environmentally friendly alternative since the organic components that are responsible for the toxicity may be completely mineralized to CO 2 and H 2 O through known biological degradation pathways (Chirwa and Wang, 2000).…”

Potential application of a bioemulsifier-producing actinobacterium for treatment of vinasse

“…The ability of this strain to produce molecules of high biotechnological value such as bioemulsifiers has also been reported (Colin et al, 2013a). In the field of bioremediation, bioemulsifiers can be used as washing agents to increase displacement and removal of organic and inorganic pollutants from soils and sediments (Aniszewski et al, 2010;Bustamante et al, 2012;Colin et al, 2013bColin et al, , 2014. However, large-scale use of bioemulsifiers is currently restricted because expensive substrates are being used for formulation of the fermentation media (Colin et al, 2014).…”

Microbial Biosurfactant for Hydrocarbons and Heavy Metals Bioremediation

“…Biosurfactant contains both hydrophobic and hydrophilic moieties and so increases the solubility of any compounds like organics or inorganics by reducing the surface tension of solvents (Bustamante et al 2012). Using this unique property of biosurfactant, one of the global problems like spillage of crude oil of oil industries can be solved (Abdolhamid et al 2009).…”

“…uptakes hexadecane to degrade 70-75 % within 7 days (Cameotra and Singh 2009). Surfactin at a concentration of 40 mg/L degrades 90 % of diesel (Bustamante et al 2012). P. aeruginosa biosurfactant (glycolipid) removed 56 % aliphatic hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon contaminated sandy loam soil (Desai and Banat 1997).…”

“…Rhamnolipid and SDS remove 80 % of crude oil where as lecithin removes 42 % from contaminated soil (Bustamante et al 2012;Urum and Pekdemir 2004). Gordonia sp.…”