Advancing Biosurfactants for Sustainable Pollution Mitigation

Microbiotechnology is rapidly evolving in its pursuit of sustainable solutions to environmental pollution, with biosurfactants taking center stage as a versatile class of compounds produced by diverse microbes. These surface-active molecules have attracted significant attention due to their remarkable environmental compatibility, including biodegradability, low toxicity, and effectiveness in addressing both organic and inorganic contaminants. Despite widespread acknowledgment of their potential, the large-scale application of biosurfactants in pollution mitigation remains limited by several challenges, including high production costs and inconsistent yields. Recent studies have demonstrated the ability of biosurfactants to enhance the solubilization and subsequent microbial degradation of persistent pollutants such as hydrocarbons and plastics, while also revealing synergies when used in combination with tailored microbial consortia. However, current research still grapples with maximizing these properties for practical and economical field applications, and debates persist regarding their scalability and commercial viability.This Research Topic aims to explore advanced strategies for the use of biosurfactants in the biodegradation of persistent environmental contaminants. Key objectives include assessing their roles in promoting the breakdown of pollutants through bioremediation, optimizing their production for industrial use, and investigating their integration with microbial communities to boost effectiveness. The goal is to bridge the gap between laboratory innovation and real-world implementation by reviewing recent breakthroughs, evaluating production economics, and outlining new directions for feasible, large-scale pollutant mitigation.To gather further insights in the intersection of biosurfactants, microbiotechnology, and environmental remediation, this Research Topic welcomes research that spans diverse biotechnological approaches and application environments. We encourage authors to address, but are not limited to, the following themes:• Biosurfactant-mediated degradation of plastics, hydrocarbons, and emerging contaminants• Engineering microbial consortia for synergistic biodegradation• Innovations in biosurfactant production and yield optimization• Assessment of environmental safety and regulatory considerations for biosurfactant applications• Field-scale trials of biosurfactant-based pollution mitigation in wastewaters and contaminated soils• Economic analyses and life-cycle assessments for large-scale deploymentPlease note that Microbiotechnology does not consider descriptive studies that are solely based on amplicon (e.g., 16S rRNA) profiles or comparisons of nucleic acid extracts (e.g., metagenomics), unless they are accompanied by a clear hypothesis and experimentation and provide insight into the microbiological system or process being studied. Topic editors: Randhir Singh Makkar, Sanket J. Joshi, Shilpee Sachar Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79369/advancing-biosurfactants-for-sustainable-pollution-mitigation