Abstract

COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN SURFACTANT AND BIOSURFACTANT (SOPHOROLIPID) WITH CHARACTERIZATION

Tanmai Ayachit*, Mayuri Parate, Dr. Sangeeta Sahasrabuddhe and Disha Sansarode

Abstract

Biosurfactants are the type of amphiphilic compounds that are produced on living surfaces or excreted extra-cellular polar and nonpolar portions that have the ability to accumulate between two liquid phases, thereby lowering the surface and interfacial tension. Biosurfactants are biodegradable, having low toxicity, foaming ability, stable activity over wide pH range and temperatures. Biosurfactants have various applications in the field of cosmetics, pharmacy, agriculture, food and medicine industries. They possess anti-microbial, anti-cancer and anti-viral activities. They are classified according to their chemical structure and microbial origin as- Glycolipids, lipopeptides and lipoproteins, fatty acids, phospholipids and polymeric biosurfactants. The main aim of this study is to isolate Sophorolipid which is a type of glycolipid biosurfactant on laboratory scale, by using yeast [Starmerella bombicola] and to evaluate Sophorolipid on the basis of surface tension, critical micelle concentration, density, pH and boiling point and to compare its activity with synthetic surfactant sodium lauryl sulfate.

Keywords: Anti-microbial, Biodegradable, Biosurfactant, Sophorolipid, Yeast (Starmerella bombicola).