Microbial Biosurfactants as Key Multifunctional Ingredients for Sustainable Cosmetics

Hamid-Reza Ahmadi-Ashtiani,Anna Baldisserotto,Silvia Vertuani,Samin Zakizadeh,Hossein Sedghi Zadeh,Stefano Manfredini,Maryam Khanahmadi,Piergiacomo Buso,Elena Cesa,Mostafa Ghafori Gorab

doi:10.3390/cosmetics7020046

Abstract

A polar head and an apolar tail chemically characterize surfactants, they show different properties and are categorized by different factors such as head charge and molecular weight. They work by reducing the surface tension between oil and water phases to facilitate the formation of one homogeneous mixture. In this respect, they represent unavoidable ingredients, their main application is in the production of detergents, one of if not the most important categories of cosmetics. Their role is very important, it should be remembered that it was precisely soaps and hygiene that defeated the main infectious diseases at the beginning of the last century. Due to their positive environmental impact, the potential uses of microbial sourced surfactants are actively investigated. These compounds are produced with different mechanisms by microorganisms in the aims to defend themselves from external threats, to improve the mobility in the environment, etc. In the cosmetic field, biosurfactants, restricted in the present work to those described above, can carry high advantages, in comparison to traditional surfactants, especially in the field of sustainable and safer approaches. Besiede this, costs still remain an obsatcle to their diffusion; in this regard, exploration of possible multifunctional actions could help to contain application costs. To highlight their features and possible multifunctional role, on the light of specific biological profiles yet underestimated, we have approached the present review work.

Highlights

IntroductionProduction of a broad range of synthetic surfactants from petroleum resources increased considerably since the beginning of 20th century
Surface-active compounds stand among the most commonly used chemicals in daily life.Production of a broad range of synthetic surfactants from petroleum resources increased considerably since the beginning of 20th century
Biosurfactants have certain advantages over chemically synthesized surfactants such as better biodegradability, superior environmental compatibility, and in some cases higher foaming property and conserved activity even at high temperature and pH. These molecules present an encouraging low toxicology profile, appropriate for use in cosmetics, and in food and pharmaceutical fields, but they have some disadvantages like very low production yield, difficulty in obtaining pure and standardized products, and expensive production processes. In this context it should be emphasized that, to date, there are no complete toxicological studies on many of the biosurfactants presented in this review, especially on polymeric biosurfactants, corynomycolic acids, spiculisporic acid salts, and phosphatidylethanolamines

Summary

Introduction

Production of a broad range of synthetic surfactants from petroleum resources increased considerably since the beginning of 20th century. “biosurfactants”, intended in the present work surface-active compounds with microbial origin, have been studied and considered as possible alternatives to traditional surfactants. There is poor clarity between the “commonly” termed biosurfactant, which would be more correct to define “botanical surfactants”, and the “microbial” biosurfactants. The latter is natural too, but with the peculiarity of being obtained by microbial source. Saponin, which is commonly defined as a biosurfactant, is not obtained through microorganisms but by extraction from plants, so we believe confusing to name it as biosurfactant.

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Conclusion