Bio surfactants produced by enterobacterial

Abstract

In spite of being considered to be pathogenic microorganisms, some enterobacterial has the ability to produce biosurfactants (BS). These molecules besides their physicochemical and biological characteristics as emulsifiers, dispersants, stabilizers among others, are widely accepted in the industry since they are biodegradable, and present low toxicity. This has generated studies focused on the identification of new producer microorganisms, as well as the search of new carbon sources, improvement of production processes and the generation of a wide variety of patents. Their use is extensively spread in a diversity of industrial areas such as the pharmaceutic, food and environment, as alternatives of the surfactants derived from oil (which are highly pollutant),generating products and services of added value. In this review the properties and applications of the BS are summarized as well as the major genres of this group of Enterobacteriaceae that have been used for BS's production to update the actual advances on the benefits that these microorganisms possesses as BS producers.