OPTIMIZATION OF BIOSURFACTANT PRODUCTION AND ITS APPLICATION AS A STABILIZER AND MODIFIER OF SILVER NANOPARTICLES

Abstract

Biosurfactants are advantageous microbial metabolites in the biotechnology industry, surpassing synthetic surfactants in terms of sustainability, degradability, reduced toxicity and resistance to different temperatures, pH and salinity. The bacteria found in photovoltaic panels have the potential to synthesize molecules of biotechnological interest. Recent studies have highlighted the discovery of bacterial ability to synthesize nanoparticles. However, research dedicated to the evaluation of biosurfactants in the stabilization and modification of nanoparticles is limited. In this sense, the project aims to evaluate the production of biosurfactants by Serratia nematodiphila, Sphingomonas paucimobilis and Microbacterium hydrothermale isolated from photovoltaic panels. After confirming the synthesis of the biosurfactant, the process will be optimized using a factorial experiment. Therefore, tests will be conducted covering the emulsification capacity using different hydrophobic sources, followed by the extraction of the biosurfactant and the determination of its stability at different temperatures, salinity and pH. Analyzes of the physical-chemical properties of the extracted biosurfactant, analyzes to characterize the nature of the biosurfactant and partial characterization of the molecule will also be carried out. Finally, the application of biosurfactant in nanotechnology as a stabilizer of silver nanoparticles in the liquid phase will be analyzed. The Ag-NPs will be synthesized by microemulsion to form reverse micelles with biosurfactant. Next, stability tests will be carried out using UV-Vis and SEM analyses, to determine the stabilizing and modifying activity of the biosurfactant in stabilizing nanoparticles.