Methods of Purification and Characterization of Biosurfactants:  An Overview

Hippolyte Tene Mouafo; Majeste Mbiada Pahane; Arsene Joseph Manga Mbarga; Alphonse Tegang Sokamte; Devappa Somashekar; Augustin Mbawala

doi:10.9734/jabb/2023/v26i5635

Research Article Open access CC BY 4.0

Methods of Purification and Characterization of Biosurfactants: An Overview

Hippolyte Tene Mouafo, Majeste Mbiada Pahane, Arsene Joseph Manga Mbarga, Alphonse Tegang Sokamte, Devappa Somashekar, Augustin Mbawala

Journal of Advances in Biology & Biotechnology · pp. 35–53 · Published 20 Jul 2023

10.9734/jabb/2023/v26i5635

Abstract

Biosurfactants are amphiphilic molecules produced by several microorganisms including bacteria, filamentous fungi and yeasts. They are classified according to their chemical composition (glycolipids, lipopeptides, glycoproteins, glycolipopeptides, phospholipids) and their molecular weight (low and high molecular weight). Biosurfactants are currently used in several industrial fields (food industry, pharmacy, medicine, detergents, agriculture, cosmetics, oil recovery and bioremediation) owning to some of their specific properties such as their low toxicity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, environmentally-friendly, stability under extreme conditions (temperature, pH and salinity), structural diversity, production using renewable low-cost substrates, agreement with green chemistry and sustainability. Despite the properties of biosurfactants, there are few studies leading to their structural characterization. The most reported structures are from biosurfactants produced by Bacillus spp. (surfactins, fengycins, lichenysines) and Pseudomonas spp. (rhamnolipids). The majority of researches performed on biosurfactants emphasized their functional groups characterization. These biosurfactants have yet to be fully characterized at structural level. Hence, in this review, we highlight the different purification and structural characterization techniques which can be combined to provide information on the structure of the biosurfactants independently of its complexity. This will lead to enhance their application in some highly pointed industrial fields such as medicine and pharmacy.

Biosurfactants microorganisms purification structural characterization

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Hippolyte Tene Mouafo, Majeste Mbiada Pahane, Arsene Joseph Manga Mbarga, Alphonse Tegang Sokamte, Devappa Somashekar, Augustin Mbawala (2023). Methods of Purification and Characterization of Biosurfactants: An Overview. Journal of Advances in Biology & Biotechnology , 35–53. https://doi.org/10.9734/jabb/2023/v26i5635

Affiliations

Hippolyte Tene Mouafo — Centre for Food, Food Security and Nutrition Research, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plants Studies, PoBox: 13033, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
Majeste Mbiada Pahane — Department of Processing and Quality Control of Aquatic Products, Institute of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences at Yabassi, University of Douala, PoBox 7236, Douala, Cameroon.
Arsene Joseph Manga Mbarga — Department of Microbiology V.S. Kiktenko, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 117198 Moscow, Russia and Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 117198 Moscow, Russia.
Alphonse Tegang Sokamte — Department of Food Engineering and Quality Control, University Institute of Technology, University of Ngaoundéré, PoBox 454, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon.
Devappa Somashekar — Department of Microbiology and Fermentation Technology, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore - 570020, India.
Augustin Mbawala — Department of Food Science and Nutrition, National School of Agro-Industrial Sciences, University of Ngaoundéré, PoBox: 455, Ngaoundéré, Cameroon.

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