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Biosurfactants as Antimicrobial Ingredients for Cleaning Products and Cosmetics

  • Dirk Bockmühl
Published/Copyright: March 1, 2013
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Tenside Surfactants Detergents
From the journal Tenside Surfactants Detergents Volume 49 Issue 3

Abstract

A considerable number of biosurfactants have been investigated for their antibacterial, antifungal or antiviral activity that is mostly based on the ability to destroy microbial cell membranes. In addition, some of them are also able to inhibit the adhesion of microorganisms to surfaces and tissues. Although these antimicrobial properties can be generally explained by a strong detergency effect, there are further mechanisms, such as the interaction with membrane phospholipids or the alteration of the electrical conductance of membranes, resulting in the damage of microbial cells. Typically, antimicrobially active biosurfactants are glycolipids (e.g. rhamnolipids) or cyclic lipopeptides (e.g. Polymyxin). Since most of these substances were not available in larger quantities in the past, their potential applications in cleaners and cosmetics was not studied intensely, however, their versatility and the possibility of combining different properties, such as cleaning and antimicrobial effects, suggest a further consideration of biosurfactants even for mass-market products.

Kurzfassung

Bisher wurde schon eine beachtliche Anzahl an Biotensiden hinsichtlich ihrer antibakteriellen, antifungalen und antiviralen Aktivität untersucht. Diese Aktivität ist hauptsächlich in der Fähigkeit begründet, die mikrobielle Zellmembran zu zerstören. Zusätzlich können manche Biotenside die Adhäsion der Mikroorganismen auf Oberflächen und Geweben verhindern. Obwohl diese antimikrobiellen Eigenschaften grundsätzlich über die starke tensidische Wirkung erklärt werden können, existieren weitere Mechanismen, wie z.B. die Wechselwirkung mit den Phospholipiden biologischer Membranen oder deren Änderung der elektrischen Leitfähigkeit, was zu einer Zerstörung mikrobieller Zellen führt. Typischerweise sind antimikrobiell aktive Biotenside Glykolipide (z.B. Rhamnolipide) oder zyklische Lipopeptide (z.B. Polymyxin). Da in der Vergangenheit die meisten dieser Substanzen nicht in größeren Mengen kommerziell erhältlich waren, wurde ihr Anwendungspotenzial für Reinigungsmittel und Kosmetika kaum untersucht. Dennoch ist es naheliegend, Biotenside aufgrund ihrer Vielseitigkeit und der Möglichkeit, verschiedene Eigenschaften zu kombinieren, wie z.B. Reinigungswirkung und antimikrobielle Effekte, gerade in Produkten für den Massenmarkt einzusetzen.

Key words:: Biosurfactants; glycolipids; lipopeptides; antimicrobial activity
Stichwörter:: Biotenside; Glycolipide; Lipopeptide; antimikrobielle Aktivität

The content of this paper was presented at the 7th European Detergents Conference (EDC)/58th SEPAWA conference in Fulda, October, 12th to 14th, 2011

1 Prof. Dr. Dirk Bockmühl, Hygiene und Mikrobiologie, Hochschule Rhein-Waal, Landwehr 4, D-47533 Kleve, Tel.: +49 28 2180673200, Fax: +49 28 2180673260. E-mail:

Dr. Dirk Bockmühl was born in October 1972. After obtaining his PhD in 2001, he worked in different industrial positions, before joining the Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences in 2010 as a Professor for Hygiene and Microbiology.

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Received: 2011-11-10
Revised: 2012-01-22
Published Online: 2013-03-01
Published in Print: 2012-05-01

© 2012, Carl Hanser Publisher, Munich

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Contents/Inhalt
  2. Contents
  3. Abstracts
  4. Abstracts
  5. 7th European Detergents Conference (EDC)
  6. Biosurfactants as Antimicrobial Ingredients for Cleaning Products and Cosmetics
  7. Scientific Results and Economic Effects from the Centre for Surfactants Based on Natural Products (SNAP)
  8. Application
  9. Preparation and Performance of Catanionic Surfactants
  10. Environmental Chemistry
  11. Acrylic Acid-Allylpolyethoxy Carboxylate Copolymer Dispersant for Calcium Carbonate and Iron(III) Hydroxide Scales in Cooling Water Systems
  12. Novel Surfactants
  13. Lyotropic Liquid Crystals Formed in Brij35/Copolymer/Water System
  14. Physical Chemistry
  15. Micellization of Alkyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromides in Aqueous Solutions–Part 1: Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC) and Ionization Degree
  16. Review
  17. Electrical Properties of PANI/Chalcogenide Junctions Doped with Ionic Liquids Anions
  18. Synthesis
  19. Synthesis of Quaternary Derivatives of Ortho-Coco Di-Amido Toluene and Investigation of these Compounds as Cationic Bitumen Emulsifier
  20. Synthesis and Surface Activity of Guerbet Betaine Surfactants with Ethylene Oxide Groups
  21. Research Group Portrait
  22. Investigations in the Stranski-Laboratorium of the TU Berlin – Physical Chemistry of Colloidal Systems – Going Towards Complexity and Functionality
https://doi.org/10.3139/113.110182
Keywords for this article
Biosurfactants; glycolipids; lipopeptides; antimicrobial activity

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Contents/Inhalt
  2. Contents
  3. Abstracts
  4. Abstracts
  5. 7th European Detergents Conference (EDC)
  6. Biosurfactants as Antimicrobial Ingredients for Cleaning Products and Cosmetics
  7. Scientific Results and Economic Effects from the Centre for Surfactants Based on Natural Products (SNAP)
  8. Application
  9. Preparation and Performance of Catanionic Surfactants
  10. Environmental Chemistry
  11. Acrylic Acid-Allylpolyethoxy Carboxylate Copolymer Dispersant for Calcium Carbonate and Iron(III) Hydroxide Scales in Cooling Water Systems
  12. Novel Surfactants
  13. Lyotropic Liquid Crystals Formed in Brij35/Copolymer/Water System
  14. Physical Chemistry
  15. Micellization of Alkyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromides in Aqueous Solutions–Part 1: Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC) and Ionization Degree
  16. Review
  17. Electrical Properties of PANI/Chalcogenide Junctions Doped with Ionic Liquids Anions
  18. Synthesis
  19. Synthesis of Quaternary Derivatives of Ortho-Coco Di-Amido Toluene and Investigation of these Compounds as Cationic Bitumen Emulsifier
  20. Synthesis and Surface Activity of Guerbet Betaine Surfactants with Ethylene Oxide Groups
  21. Research Group Portrait
  22. Investigations in the Stranski-Laboratorium of the TU Berlin – Physical Chemistry of Colloidal Systems – Going Towards Complexity and Functionality
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