Suppasil Maneerat

pp. 1263 - 1272

Abstract

Biosurfactants are the surface-active molecules synthesized by microorganisms. With the advantage
of environmental compatibility, the demand for biosurfactants has been steadily increasing and may eventually replace their chemically synthesized counterparts. Marine biosurfactants produced by some marine
microorganisms have been paid more attention, particularly for the bioremediation of the sea polluted by
crude oil. This review describes screening of biosurfactant-producing microorganisms, the determination of
biosurfactant activity as well as the recovery of marine surfactant. The uses of marine biosurfactants for
bioremediation are also discussed.

Keywords

• biosurfactant
• marine microorganisms
• bioremediation
• crude oil