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Abstract
Chemically synthesized surface-active compounds are widely used in the pharmaceutical,
cosmetic, petroleum and food industries. However, with the advantages of biodegradability,
and production on renewable-resource substrates, biosurfactants may eventually replace
their chemically synthesized counterparts. So far, the use of biosurfactants has been
limited to a few specialized applications because biosurfactants have been economically
uncompetitive. There is a need to gain a greater understanding of the physiology,
genetics and biochemistry of biosurfactant-producing strains, and to improve process
technology to reduce production costs.