Review on the extraction of biomolecules by biosurfactant reverse micelles

Abstract

Surfactant reverse micelles have been widely applied in biotechnology areas for decades. Due to its unique criteria in protecting the bioactivies of biomolecules, the attempts have typically been done for recovery, separation and purification of many biological products such as proteins, enzymes, and antibiotics. Surfactant is a key role in stabilizing the transfer process into reverse micelles phase. Its application in reverse micelles extraction has so far been confined to chemical surfactant which synthetically derived from petroleum. By replacing synthetic surfactant with natural biosurfactant in reverse micelles, it may contribute generating products into a green application as well as helping the future to diminish the side effect of using a toxic surfactant to the environment. Biosurfactant which synthesized by microorganism will be a potential candidate as an environmental-friendly stabilizer due to its environmental acceptability. Production of bioactive molecules will be greener as well as meets the worldwide biotechnology needs.