Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
3.7
3.7
Journals
Fermentation
Special Issues
Production and Application of Bioactive Biosurfactants
share announcement

Production and Application of Bioactive Biosurfactants

A special issue of Fermentation (ISSN 2311-5637). This special issue belongs to the section "Industrial Fermentation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 March 2024) | Viewed by 4914

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Wim Soetaert

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
InBio.be, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University and Bio Base Europe Pilot Plant, Ghent, Belgium
Interests: biosurfactants; industrial bioprocess development; sophorolipids; stamerella bombicola
Dr. Lars Lilge

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
2. Department of Bioprocess Engineering, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
Interests: bioactive; metabolites; biosurfactants; lipopeptides; strain engineering; stress response; bacillus
Dr. Sarah Johann

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Ecology, Diversity and Evolution, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
Interests: environmental toxicity; aquatic ecotoxicity; bioanalytics; green toxicology; bioactive metabolites
Dr. Till Tiso

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Applied Microbiology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
Interests: biosurfactants; metabolic engineering; bioprocess engineering; glycolipids; pseudomonas

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The importance of biosurfactants in research is demonstrated by a large number of publications. The implementation of biosurfactants in the chemical industry is evident from the fact that these microbial secondary metabolites are being used in an increasing number of applications. While they feature comparable physicochemical properties as chemically produced synthetic surfactants, they have been described as biodegradable and with relatively low ecotoxicity. A bonus that has been reported for some biosurfactants is their bioactivity, which manifests itself, for example, in antimicrobial properties. Accompanying these are, on the one hand, a wide range of potential applications and, on the other hand, questions regarding the mode of action and their influence on micro(organisms), other non-target organisms and, thus, whole ecosystems. A challenge for the manufacturing process of biosurfactants resulting from their bioactivity could be adverse effects on the respective production organism, leading to altered productivity.

The goal of this Special Issue is to publish both recent innovative research results and review papers on the production of biosurfactants and possible applications mediated by their bioactivity. Furthermore, new insights into their mode of action and environmental impact or ecotoxicity, as well as solutions to challenges potentially arising from negative effects of bioactivity in the context of Green Toxicology, will be addressed.

If you would like to contribute a manuscript, please contact one of the editors to discuss the topic relevance before submission.

Prof. Dr. Wim Soetaert
Dr. Lars Lilge
Dr. Sarah Johann
Dr. Till Tiso
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fermentation is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 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.

Keywords

  • secondary metabolites
  • biosurfactants
  • bioactivity
  • ecotoxicity
  • green toxicology
  • antimicrobial
  • insecticidal
  • strain engineering
  • process engineering
  • glycolipids
  • lipopeptides

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

19 pages, 3232 KiB  
Article
Purified Acidic Sophorolipid Biosurfactants in Skincare Applications: An Assessment of Cytotoxic Effects in Comparison with Synthetic Surfactants Using a 3D In Vitro Human Skin Model
by Simms A. Adu, Matthew S. Twigg, Patrick J. Naughton, Roger Marchant and Ibrahim M. Banat
Fermentation 2023, 9(11), 985; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation9110985 - 18 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1592
Abstract
Acidic sophorolipids (Acidic SL), congeners of sophorolipid biosurfactants, offer a potential alternative to synthetic sodium lauryl ether sulphate (SLES) in skincare applications. However, major challenges associated with the laboratory-based investigations of the cytotoxic effects of Acidic SL have been the utilisation of impure [...] Read more.
Acidic sophorolipids (Acidic SL), congeners of sophorolipid biosurfactants, offer a potential alternative to synthetic sodium lauryl ether sulphate (SLES) in skincare applications. However, major challenges associated with the laboratory-based investigations of the cytotoxic effects of Acidic SL have been the utilisation of impure and/or poorly characterised congeners as well as the use of monolayers of skin cells in in vitro assays. While the former limitation makes glycolipids less attractive for use in academic research and skincare applications, the latter does not provide an accurate representation of the in vivo human skin. The present study, therefore, for the first time, assessed the cytotoxic effects of 96% pure Acidic SL on a 3D in vitro skin model in comparison with SLES, with the aim of investigating a natural alternative to synthetic surfactants for potential use in skincare applications. The 3D in vitro skin model was colonised with Staphylococcus epidermidis for 12 h, and afterwards treated with either Acidic SL or SLES at 100 μg mL−1 for a further 12 h. Subsequently, the cytotoxic effects of Acidic SL in comparison with SLES were assessed using a combination of microbiology, molecular biology techniques, immunoassays, and histological analyses. It was demonstrated that Acidic SL had no deleterious effects on the viability of S. epidermidis, tissue morphology, filaggrin expression, and the production of inflammatory cytokines in comparison to SLES. These findings, in conjunction with the possibility to produce Acidic SL from cheaper renewable natural resources, demonstrate that Acidic SL could offer a potential sustainable alternative to synthetic surfactants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Production and Application of Bioactive Biosurfactants)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 2009 KiB  
Article
Integrated Process of Biosurfactant Production by Bacillus atrophaeus ATCC-9372 Using an Air-Lift Bioreactor Coupled to a Foam Fraction Column
by Maria de Fátima F. Rocha, Paulo S. Sobral Júnior, Milena S. Leite, Luciana P. Malpiedi, Matheus M. Pereira, Cleide M. F. Soares and Álvaro S. Lima
Fermentation 2023, 9(11), 959; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation9110959 - 9 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1210
Abstract
Biosurfactants are surface-active molecules, produced by several microorganisms, that possess unique properties such as low toxicity and biodegradability. Their application in various industries depends on their purity and their specific properties, such as emulsification and stability. Therefore, this study focuses on the production [...] Read more.
Biosurfactants are surface-active molecules, produced by several microorganisms, that possess unique properties such as low toxicity and biodegradability. Their application in various industries depends on their purity and their specific properties, such as emulsification and stability. Therefore, this study focuses on the production of biosurfactant from Bacillus atrophaeus in an air-lift bioreactor. It analyzes the effects of agitation rate and temperature on biosurfactant production, as well as the concurrent separation process using a foam fractionation column. Moreover, the ability of the produced biosurfactant to form emulsions in water with several substrates (vegetables oils, hydrocarbons, and fossil fuels) was determined, and the stability of the soybean oil–water emulsion (used as an example) at different temperatures and pH values was verified. The biosurfactant produced, tentatively identified as iturin, was only detected in the coalescent liquid after passing through the foam fractionation column, demonstrating the complete separation of the biosurfactant. The best operational conditions for production and separation were an air flow of 1.00 vvm and a temperature of 34 °C (emulsifier index (EI24) = 66.9%, and productivity (Pp) = 967.5% mL h−1). Vegetable oils, hydrocarbons, and fossil fuels were emulsified in water, highlighting the soybean oil, whose emulsion oil–water had the highest ES (3333.3 min) at a temperature of 50 °C and a pH value of 9.0. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Production and Application of Bioactive Biosurfactants)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 3267 KiB  
Article
Prospective Life Cycle Assessment of Microbial Sophorolipid Fermentation
by Karina Balina, Raimonda Soloha, Arturs Suleiko, Konstantins Dubencovs, Janis Liepins and Elina Dace
Fermentation 2023, 9(9), 839; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation9090839 - 14 Sep 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1509
Abstract
The biorefinery industry is witnessing a transition from fossil and chemical-based processes to more sustainable practices, with a growing emphasis on using renewable resources. Sophorolipids, a promising group of biosurfactants, present a viable substitute for conventionally produced surfactants. This study focuses on microbial [...] Read more.
The biorefinery industry is witnessing a transition from fossil and chemical-based processes to more sustainable practices, with a growing emphasis on using renewable resources. Sophorolipids, a promising group of biosurfactants, present a viable substitute for conventionally produced surfactants. This study focuses on microbial fermentation using yeast and lipid substrate for sophorolipid production. The life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology was employed to identify environmental hotspots of the process and to assess the environmental benefits resulting from the replacement of raw rapeseed cooking oil (base scenario) with waste cooking oil, reduction of process electricity consumption, and increased sophorolipid yield. By compiling scenarios with the lowest environmental impact, a best-case scenario was created. The results revealed that the environmental impact of sophorolipid production could be reduced by 50% in the best-case scenario compared to the base scenario. This research provides valuable insights into the environmental optimization of the fermentation process and through the application of LCA highlights the potential for the reduction of negative environmental impact of sophorolipid production, contributing to the ongoing transition from petroleum oil and petrochemical refineries to sustainable biorefineries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Production and Application of Bioactive Biosurfactants)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop