Recent Advances in Sustainable Production and Application of Biosurfactants in Brazil and Latin America

Abstract

Biosurfactants are molecules with emulsifying and surface-active properties that have environmental and industrial applications in the pharmaceutical, food, cosmetic, and cleaning industries. These biomolecules are a prominent topic for research and development since they are possible replacements for synthetic surfactants, which are still produced using nonrenewable feedstock. Biosurfactants also present performance advantages when compared to synthetic surfactants, such as increased degradability, higher stability at different conditions (pH, salinity, and temperature) and lower toxicity. Biosurfactants can be produced through sustainable processes using agro-industrial residues as substrates. However, these biomolecules are not yet able to compete economically with synthetic surfactants, which are cheaper and more readily available. Therefore, it is necessary to search for new technologies that will enable large-scale production of these compounds through the discovery of new producing microorganisms, low-cost and renewable substrates, and alternative processes for the biotechnological production of biosurfactants. In this context, Latin America has outstanding potential because of its huge biodiversity and its many agro-industrial residues that can be used as substrates for biosurfactant production. Brazil is the leader among Latin American countries in biosurfactant research, with the highest number of papers and patents. The aim of this article is to review recent advances in sustainable production and application of biosurfactants in Brazil and Latin America, and to disclose the importance of green chemistry in the context of sustainable development in the region.