Surfactant pollution, an emerging threat to ecosystem: Approaches for effective bacterial degradation

Abstract

The use of surfactants in households and industries is inevitable and so is their discharge into the environment, especially into the water bodies as effluents. Being surface-active agents, their utilization is mostly seen in soaps, detergents, personal care products, emulsifiers, wetting agents, etc. Anionic surfactants are the most used class. These surfactants are responsible for the foam and froth in the water bodies and cause potential adverse effects to both biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem. Surfactants are capable of penetrating the cell membrane and thus cause toxicity to living organisms. Accumulation of these compounds has been known to cause significant gill damage and loss of sight in fish. Alteration of physiological and biochemical parameters of water decreases the amount of dissolved oxygen and thus affecting the entire ecosystem. Microbes utilizing surfactants as substrates for energy form the basis of the biodegradation of these compounds. The main organisms for surfactant biodegradation, both in sewage and natural waters, are bacteria.Several Pseudomonas and Bacillus spp. have shown efficient degradation of anionic surfactants namely: sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), linear alkylbenzene sulphonate (LAS), sodium dodecylbenzenesulphonate (SDBS). Also, several microbial consortia constituting Alcaligenes spp., Citrobacter spp., etc. have shown efficacy in the degradation of surfactants. The biodegradation efficiency studies of these microbes/ microbial consortia would be of immense help in formulating better solutions for the bioremediation of surfactants and help to reduce their potential environmental hazards.

Synergy in the Microbial Cyclic Lipopeptide/Petroleum-Derived Surfactant Mixture Can Reduce the Total Surfactant Consumption

“…SDS is the most common petroleum-derived surfactant present in cleaning and personal care products, which is effective at removing dirt from the skin and other surfaces. SDS are known to be responsible for the foam and froth in the water bodies and cause potential adverse effects to both biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem . Recent developments in manufacturing have enabled the synthesis of SDS from lauric acid found in palm kernel oil and coconut oil.…”

“…SDS are known to be responsible for the foam and froth in the water bodies and cause potential adverse effects to both biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem. 38 Recent developments in manufacturing have enabled the synthesis of SDS from lauric acid found in palm kernel oil and coconut oil. Although plantderived SDS avoids the use of petroleum, its production by itself is still associated with significant negative environmental impacts.…”

Fast Interfacial Polymerization for Stabilizing Emulsion Droplets with Polymer Films beyond Emulsifiers

“…The ecological pollution and health risks caused by the extensive use of surfactants are currently urgent issues to address. Surfactants are accountable for the formation of foam and froth in aquatic environments and have potential detrimental impacts on both living and nonliving parts of the ecosystem . Since surfactants are able to infiltrate the cellular membrane, they can also lead to toxicity in living organisms.…”

“…Surfactants are accountable for the formation of foam and froth in aquatic environments and have potential detrimental impacts on both living and nonliving parts of the ecosystem. 19 Since surfactants are able to infiltrate the cellular membrane, they can also lead to toxicity in living organisms. The current trend is to develop more stable but surfactant-free emulsion systems.…”

Surfactant-Mediated Effects on Hydrological and Physical Soil Properties: Data Synthesis

“…They degrade faster under aerobic than under anaerobic conditions . Surfactant chemical structure and physicochemical soil parameters , further modulate their biodegradability. Surfactant breakdown products can be more persistent and toxic than the original product. ,− …”