Researchers tap yeasts as source of 'green' surfactants
Thursday, July 28, 2011 - 13:40
in Physics & Chemistry
Surfactants, which are wetting agents that lower a liquid's surface tension, have a long list of uses, from detergents and cosmetics to paints and pesticides. Most surfactants are petroleum-based. But one group of scientists has now focused its attention on sophorolipids, surfactant-like molecules produced by naturally occurring yeasts.