A comprehensive review on the role of biosurfactants in remediation of heavy metals from contaminated environment.

AbstractThe hazardous nature of heavy metals (HMs) in the ecosystem has drawn global attention due to its emergence as a major environmental and public health concern. As toxic metals are non-degradable, they affect not only animals but also human beings and vegetation. These HMs are long-lasting pollutants that travel vast distances from their site of origin in the environment and bioaccumulate in humans and other organisms through the food chain. These pollutants can cause extensive pollution since they are frequently produced by industrial activities and inappropriate disposal procedures. Biosurfactants’ (BSs) versatility makes them an appealing category that plays an essential role in various biotechnological applications for environmental remediation. BSs have a variety of characteristics, including metal binding, solubilization, and emulsification. They remediate the HMs through processes like complexation, ion exchange, and metal solubilization. Furthermore, owing to their amphiphilic nature, they improve the sorption and solubility of hydrophobic contaminants and reduce the surface area and interfacial tension of immiscible liquids. As a result, BS-based remediation plays an important part in the heavy metal removal process in multiple ways. This review aims to provide information on the function of BSs in eliminating HMs through bioremediation processes for environmental sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]