Biosurfactants: Greener Surface Active Agents for Sustainable Future

Book excerpt: This book illustrates the importance and significance of the biosurfactants obtained from microorganisms, preferably from bacteria and yeast. It explains the superiority of biosurfactants (green molecule) over chemically synthesized surfactants for the sustainable future. The content of the present book addresses the quest for novel biosurfactants producing strains, high throughput screening methods, and production strategies. It finely describes the aptness of biosurfactants for industrial and environmental applications. It elaborately describes the technical background and cutting-edge advancement of the commercial aspect of biosurfactants. In the later part of the book, the role of green biosurfactants in food processing, control of food spoilage, incorporation in personal health care products, environmental and agricultural remediation are discussed. Finally, the book elucidates a comprehensive and representative description of toxicity assessment of the biosurfactants, which highlights the risk assessment of the incorporation of the microbial biosurfactants in food, healthcare, and pharmaceutical formulations.