Rhamnolipids production by recombinant strain using agroindustrial waste as an alternative carbon source.

Abstract

Surfactants are amphipathic molecules which accumulate in interphase, giving them theability to reduce the interfacial and surface tension of the medium. The nonpolar portionis often a hydrocarbon chain and the polar portion may be ionic (cationic or anionic),nonionic or amphoteric. Surfactants are among the most versatile molecules of theindustry, being used in the preparation of pharmaceutical and food products,decontamination of impacted environments and petroleum, agronomic and cosmeticindustries. However, petroleum-based surfactants have the disadvantage of highresistance to biodegradation and high toxicity when they accumulate in theenvironment. An alternative is the use of biological surfactants, known asbiosurfactants. However, its application is limited due to high cost of production whencompared to its similar chemical. Thus, research which aims to minimize the cost ofobtaining the biosurfactant are of great importance. This study aims to developstrategies for generation of rhamnolipid biosurfactant economically attractive, obtaininga recombinant microorganism with high production potential and using agroindustrialresidues as carbon source.