INFORM March 2025

32 • inform March 2025, Vol. 36 (3)

Chapter 19 - Biosurfactants: Sustainable alternatives to chemical surfactants Zargar, A.N. and Srivastava, P., Industrial applications of biosurfactants and microorganisms: Green technology avenues from lab to commercialization , 425, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-13288-9.00015-2 Surfactants are amphipathic compounds utilized to reduce a liquid’s surface tension and interfacial tension between two phases. Surfactants find applications in various industries such as the detergent, cosmetic, food, agricultural, healthcare, and petroleum industries. The global surfactant market was esti mated at US$ 44.99 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach 81.7 billion by 2030. The requirement of fossils for producing surfac tants leads to environmental pollution and increases the global carbon footprint. In addition, chemical surfactants are toxic and nonbiodegradable, which causes severe problems with their dis posal. Biosurfactants are the green counterparts of chemical surfactants synthesized from renewable sources and are less toxic, biodegradable, and active under extreme conditions. The advantages of biosurfactants have fostered their interest as sustainable alternatives to synthetic surfactants. This chapter discusses in detail the environmental sustainability concerns associated with the use of chemical surfactants and the role of biosurfactants in sustainable development scenarios. Current strategies on bioremediation of personal care products and detergents: Sustainability and life cycle assessment Saravanan, A., et al. , Chemosphere ,354, 141698, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.141698 The increased use of personal care products and deter gents in modern society has raised concerns about their poten tial adverse effects on the environment. These products

contain various chemical compounds that can persist in water bodies, leading to water pollution and ecological disturbances. Bioremediation has emerged as a promising approach to address these challenges, utilizing the natural capabilities of microorganisms to degrade or remove these contaminants. This review examines the current strategies employed in the bioremediation of personal care products and detergents, with a specific focus on their sustainability and environmental impact. This bioremediation is essential for environmental rejuvenation, as it uses living organisms to detergents and other daily used products. Its distinctiveness stems from sustainable, nature-centric ways that provide eco-friendly solutions for pollution eradication and nurturing a healthy planet, all while avoiding copying. Explores the use of microbial consortia, enzyme-based treatments, and novel biotechnological approaches in the context of environmen tal remediation. Additionally, the ecological implications and long term sustainability of these strategies are assessed. Understanding the strengths and limitations of these bioremediation techniques is essential for developing effective and environmentally friendly solutions to mitigate the impact of personal care products and detergents on ecosystems. Enzyme stability with essential oils and surfactants. Growing towards green disinfectant detergents Sizaire, E., et al. , Journal of Molecular Liquids , 405, 125032, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2024.125032 This study investigates the stability of α-amylase and prote ase in disinfectant formulations incorporating essential oils (EOs), anionic surfactants (linear alkylbenzene sulfonate), non-ionic surfactants (alkylpolyglucosides and ethoxylated fatty alcohols), and mixtures of them, analysing the influence of the composition, temperature, and time using shelf-life assays. EOs reduce α-amy lase activity showing first-order deactivation kinetics, and surfac

Environmental effects

Health effects

Chemical safety Air Pollution Lack of Access

Lack of clean water Climate change Natural Disasters

Eye infections Provoke acne Skin bleaches

Infertility Food-related illnesses Eating disorders

Ecological impact assessment

Bacterial infection

Break down

Enzyme extraction

Microbial ac tion

Depolymerization

Degradation

Personal care products

• Biostimulation • Bioaugmentation • Phytoremediation • Mycoremediation