Bio-Surfactant for Sustainable Textile Processing

Abstract

Enforcing environmental preservation and addressing climate change for future generations presents various issues for modern society. Microorganisms produce a family of surfaceactive molecules called biosurfactants, which have garnered considerable interest due to their environmentally beneficial properties and potential to replace synthetic surfactants in various industries. Traditional textile wet processing, which includes pretreatment, dyeing, and finishing, often employs synthetic surfactants that raise concerns regarding their biodegradability, toxicity, and potential for water pollution. On the contrary, biosurfactants are biodegradable, non-toxic, and can work in various environmental circumstances, providing a sustainable option. Among the different types of surfactants, glycolipids are particularly highlighted, with sophorolipids (SLs) being lowmolecular-weight compounds that have garnered significant attention. This study compares the effectiveness of SLs with conventional surfactants in various textile wet processing steps, such as pretreatment and dyeing. According to the findings, SLs not only outperform their synthetic counterparts in terms of surfactant qualities (wetting, emulsifying, and foaming) but also lessen the process's total environmental impact. The results suggest that incorporating SLs into textile wet processing can facilitate the industry's transition to more sustainable technologies, leading to greener production methods.