MICROBIAL SURFACTANTS IN ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES

Abstract

It was shown literature and own experimental data concerning the use of microbial surface activeglycolipids (rhamno-, sophoro- and trehalose lipids) and lipopeptides for water and soil purification fromoil and other hydrocarbons, removing toxic heavy metals (Cu2+, Cd2+, Ni2+, Pb2+), degradation ofcomplex pollution (oil and other hydrocarbons with heavy metals), and the role of microbial surfactantsin phytoremediation processes.The factors that limit the use of microbial surfactants in environmental technologies are discussed.Thus, at certain concentrations biosurfactant can exhibit antimicrobial properties and inhibitmicroorganisms destructing xenobiotics. Microbial biodegradability of surfactants may also reduce theeffectiveness of bioremediation. Development of effective technologies using microbial surfactantsshould include the following steps: monitoring of contaminated sites to determine the nature of pollutionand analysis of the autochthonous microbiota; determining the mode of surfactant introduction(exogenous addition of stimulation of surfactant synthesis by autochthonous microbiota); establishing anoptimal concentration of surfactant to prevent exhibition of antimicrobial properties and rapidbiodegradation; research both in laboratory and field conditions.