Biosurfactants as Emerging Substitutes of Their Synthetic Counterpart in Detergent Formula: Efficiency and Environmental Friendly.

Detergent products are a formulated mixture of ingredients with a washing or cleaning power. The most active compounds involved in the cleaning process are the so-called surfactants; amphiphilic compounds with polar head and an-polar teal. They have the property to lower the surface tension (ST) of water, to adsorb to the interface and to reduce the interfacial tension (IFT) between two immiscible liquid. Then, they are very good at liberating dirt and to eliminate impurities. However, owing their chemical nature, they are characterized by their high toxicity and low biodegradability causing serious risks to natural ecosystems. Therefore, an urgent need was developed for the production of environment friendly detergent. Thus, developing eco-friendly, nonirritant, low-toxic, and high-efficient surface active ingredients for detergents is an ongoing challenge in the detergent field. To know, biosurfactants (BioS) or microbial surfactants are amphiphilic compounds having the ability to reduce the surface and interfacial tension. They are characterized by their higher biodegradability, low toxicity and eco-friendly. Thus, they can be the best substitutes of chemical surfactants in detergent formulation permitting the development of eco-friendly bio-based detergent formula. With this aim, we will discuss in the first part of the presented review detergent formula and surfactants as the base ingredients; their physic-chemical properties and higher toxicity. In the second part of the review paper, BioS as emerging ingredients for detergent formulation will be presented; their classification, physic-chemical and functional properties along with their potential application in detergent formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]