Rhamnoolipid biosurfactant：

Application of rhamnoolipid

The need for economic and sustainable bioproducts to replace petrochemical derivatives has increased significantly over the past decade. Rhamnoolipids are biosurfactants produced by microorganisms with good chemical and biological properties. It is amphiphilic to oil and water, can reduce the surface tension of water, can be used as wetting agent, emulsifier and foaming agent, rhamnoolipid biosurfactant can be used under extreme conditions of temperature, PH and salinity, and is non-toxic and biodegradable.

At present, it is widely used in the petroleum industry, green agriculture and ecological environment, in addition to the food industry, cosmetics, medical fields also have greater application potential.

1.Applications in the petroleum industry

More and more biosurfactants are used to enhance oil recovery with or instead of chemical synthetic surfactants. Rhamnoolipid is a typical application of biosurfactants in oil fields. In recent years, there are many reports and literatures about rhamnoolipids at home and abroad. Take domestic research as an example: “Study on rhamnoolipid System of low interfacial tension biosurfactant for Oil Flooding” reported in Oil Field Chemistry, Vol. 11, No. 1, March 1994; Oil and gas recovery technology published in September 1997, “Experimental Study on the application of rhamnose-lipids to Tertiary Oil recovery”; “Enhanced Oil Recovery by rhamnose-lipid biosurfactant in Daqing Oilfield”, Vol. 23, No. 1, Southwest Petroleum Journal, February 2001; Laboratory Oil Displacement Test of Enzyme and rhamnose-lipids fermentation broth Combination was mentioned in the 6th China Daily Chemical Industry Seminar in 2007. And the German winter-shullAG Company and Petrogen Company of the United States have carried out field tests using biological surfactant for three times of oil recovery, and achieved good results.

Rhamnoolipid, as a biosurfactant, can reduce the interfacial tension of oil and water. It is applied to the third recovery technology after primary oil recovery and secondary oil recovery. The main principles are as follows:

• As a sacrifice agent, it can reduce the amount of expensive oil displacement agent or the loss in the formation. It has the advantages of good oil displacement effect and long time after combining with other oil displacement agents. However, the addition of rhamnose-grease can effectively reduce the amount of oil displacement agent and greatly reduce the cost.

• As a sacrifice agent,  it can reduce the amount of expensive oil displacement agent or the loss in the formation. It has the advantages of good  oil displacement effect and long time after combining with other oil displacement agents. However,  the addition of rhamnose-grease can effectively reduce the amount of oil displacement agent and greatly reduce the cost.

• As an active agent, rhamnoolipid itself is a surfactant, which can reduce the oil-water interfacial tension, and the oil-water interfacial tension can reach the level of 10-3mN/m after the combination of oil displacement agent, so as to improve the oil displacement efficiency.

2.The application of green agriculture

Rhamnoolipid biosurfactant can be used as an additive in the production of agricultural related products. After two years of field application experiments, our company proved that rhamnoolipid has the ability to promote crop nutrient absorption, improve soil environment, promote early maturity, increase production and income, and prevent some diseases and insect pests. Extensive studies have shown that rhamnoolipids are mainly applied to agriculture in the following aspects:

• Chelating metal ions, so that trace metal elements can be absorbed by plants or increase the content of trace elements in plant fruits. Rhamnoseolipids have independent carboxyl groups and have the basic structure of chelation. Studies have shown that under appropriate conditions, its chelation of some metal ions is greater than that of EDTA and PEI. It is an effective additive for foliar fertilizer and micro-compound fertilizer, especially in increasing the content of Zn, Ca and Se in crops. According to its chelation characteristics, it can be used as an effective way to absorb soil heavy metal ions by plant method, and is a good method for in situ treatment of soil contaminated by heavy metal by plant technology.

• To promote the absorption of nutrients, because plant leaves are covered with a waxy layer, so that the surface of the leaf becomes a protective film. Rhamnose-lipoid biological surfactant can be used as a wetting agent to be added to the leaf fertilizer. The hydrophobic group is absorbed on the surface of the waxy layer through dispersion force,
• and the hydrophilic group extends into the fertilizer liquid to form a directional adsorption film to replace the hydrophobic waxy layer. Improve the wetting condition of foliar fertilizer in waxy layer, make fertilizer fully spread, and promote the maximum absorption and utilization of fertilizer nutrients. After rhamnose-lipids form chelates with other ions, they can take advantage of the characteristics that they can easily enter cells and carry other effective ions, so that they and other ions are easy to be used by plant cells. It can also act as a good source of nutrients for plants, especially roots. This process is an effective way to enrich crops with selenium, zinc and calcium.
• (3) Rhamnoolipid can effectively improve alkaline soil environment and is a good additive for alkaline soil modification. The properties of Rh- and H+ can be ionized by rhamnose-lipid under alkaline conditions, and the alkalinity of soil can be improved by neutralizing with OH- in alkaline soil, so as to change the soil compaction environment. High inorganic salt content is the soil compaction; Another important factor, the existence of rhamnoolipid, also makes the inorganic salt in the initial crystallization of the formation of stable nucleus, is an important factor to change the soil compaction.
• (4) The excellent surface active function of rhamnoolide is an excellent non-toxic and harmless addition to the emulsion formed by non-water-soluble organic ingredients and water in crop foliar spraying operations, including pesticide and foliar fertilizer two processes.
• Rhamnoolipid as a surfactant. Since it comes from biological sources, its existence on the surface of plant leaves, stems and roots is non-toxic and harmless to the surface of plants, and it can also improve the permeability of plant cells to nutrients, and is the best improver for nutrient absorption of plant surface substances.
• Rhamnoolipid is easy to form a thin film on the surface of the adsorbent, which can slow down the loss of water, reflecting its good water retention function. In the process of fruit and vegetable preservation, its film forming characteristics are also used to prevent the oxygen in the air from entering the surface of fruit and vegetable, forming a cheap environment of low oxygen partial pressure in the film, reducing respiration, to achieve the purpose of extending the storage period of fruit and vegetable, and can preserve the most natural original taste of fruit.
• Rhamnoolipid can stimulate and increase enzyme production in the metabolic process of surrounding microorganisms, and Rh fermentation broth is very rich in nutrients, which is the best activator of microorganisms around ground plant roots.
• ① The increase of microbial activity around the root system is inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus elements in phosphate fertilizer, which are easy to be converted into organic components that can be easily absorbed, which is a good environment for effective absorption.
• ② The increase of microbial activity around roots increases the opportunity for humus components to be transformed into microbial metabolites, and the metabolized polysaccharide and protein components are easy to be absorbed by roots.
• ③ The increase of soil microbial activity, resulting in more organic components in the soil, is a favorable condition for improving soil fertility, but also reduces the chance of soil compaction.
• (8) Rhamnoolipid has good inhibitory effect on fungi and can be used for seed dressing and inhibiting fungi and mildew.
• (9) As rhamnoolide in soil will eventually be thoroughly utilized by plants and soil microorganisms as nutrients, there will be no residue of rhamnoolide in soil after the end of plant growth, so it is a safe soil additive.
• (10) Rhamnoolipid related to agriculture:
• ① In 2004, the US Environmental Protection Agency approved rhamnoolide as a biopesticide (PC Code110029).
• ② New York State Administration of Solid and Hazardous Materials Pesticide, Department of Environmental Protection, Registration Document for a New Product of
• Active Ingredient rhamnoolipid registered pesticide (EPA Registration No. 72431-1).
• ③ Notice of Joint Registration of rhamnoolipid for Biocide Registration as a new active ingredient. 7 May 2003 (68 FR 24456).
• ④ United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Application for and Approval of rhamnoolipid Biosurfactants in food and pesticide chemicals. (68 FR 25026 and 68 FR 16796)
• ⑤ Effects of sucrose and rhamnoolipid on Fruit storage and Fresh-keeping LI Jiangyun, SHI Yiping, LI Zuyi. Plant Chinese Journal of Science,1998,34(2)
• ⑥ Root Uptake of Lipophilic Zinc#Rhamnolipid Complexes，J. Agric.Food Chem. 2008, 56, 2112–2117（Lipophilic root absorption – rhamnoolipid Zn complex）
• ⑦ Stability Constants for the Complexation of Various Metals with aRhamnolipid Biosurfactant，Francisco J. Ochoa-Loza, Janick F. Artiola, andRaina M. Maier（Stability constants of the complexation of rhamnoolipid biosurfactants with various metals）
• ⑧ US8217004 SEQUESTERING AGENT FOR MICRONUTRIENTFERTILISERS，Mike McLaughlin, Samuel Stacey, Enzo Lombi（United States patent for rhamnoolipid as a microfertilizer chelating agent）
• ⑨ Insecticidal activity of rhamnolipid isolated from pseudomonas sp.EP-3 against green peach aphid，J. Agric. Food Chem. 2011, 59, 934–938（Rhamnose-lipids are used to kill aphids）
• 3.Applications in environmental governance
• Rhamnoolipid can be used to repair environmental pollution caused by humans, including soil, garbage, water, ocean and oil pollution. It is embodied in:
• 1) Soil remediation and waste disposal
• Rhamnoolipids are used in soil treatment, mainly in the treatment of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), heavy metals, PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls), pesticides and oil pollution. The main principles of rhamnoolipid application in the treatment of PAHs and heavy metal pollution are as follows:
• Rhamnoolipids contribute to the desorption of PAHs from soil particles, and are dissolved in surfactant micelles and adsorbed on rhamnoolipids monomers, thus increasing the distribution of PAHs in aqueous and non-aqueous liquids. In addition,
  
• and the hydrophilic group extends into the fertilizer liquid to form a directional adsorption film to replace the hydrophobic waxy layer. Improve the wetting condition of foliar fertilizer in waxy layer, make fertilizer fully spread, and promote the maximum absorption and utilization of fertilizer nutrients. After rhamnose-lipids form chelates with other ions, they can take advantage of the characteristics that they can easily enter cells and carry other effective ions, so that they and other ions are easy to be used by plant cells. It can also act as a good source of nutrients for plants, especially roots. This process is an effective way to enrich crops with selenium, zinc and calcium.
• (3) Rhamnoolipid can effectively improve alkaline soil environment and is a good additive for alkaline soil modification. The properties of Rh- and H+ can be ionized by rhamnose-lipid under alkaline conditions, and the alkalinity of soil can be improved by neutralizing with OH- in alkaline soil, so as to change the soil compaction environment. High inorganic salt content is the soil compaction; Another important factor, the existence of rhamnoolipid, also makes the inorganic salt in the initial crystallization of the formation of stable nucleus, is an important factor to change the soil compaction.
• (4) The excellent surface active function of rhamnoolide is an excellent non-toxic and harmless addition to the emulsion formed by non-water-soluble organic ingredients and water in crop foliar spraying operations, including pesticide and foliar fertilizer two processes.
• Rhamnoolipid as a surfactant. Since it comes from biological sources, its existence on the surface of plant leaves, stems and roots is non-toxic and harmless to the surface of plants, and it can also improve the permeability of plant cells to nutrients, and is the best improver for nutrient absorption of plant surface substances.
• Rhamnoolipid is easy to form a thin film on the surface of the adsorbent, which can slow down the loss of water, reflecting its good water retention function. In the process of fruit and vegetable preservation, its film forming characteristics are also used to prevent the oxygen in the air from entering the surface of fruit and vegetable, forming a cheap environment of low oxygen partial pressure in the film, reducing respiration, to achieve the purpose of extending the storage period of fruit and vegetable, and can preserve the most natural original taste of fruit.
• Rhamnoolipid can stimulate and increase enzyme production in the metabolic process of surrounding microorganisms, and Rh fermentation broth is very rich in nutrients, which is the best activator of microorganisms around ground plant roots.
• ① The increase of microbial activity around the root system is inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus elements in phosphate fertilizer, which are easy to be converted into organic components that can be easily absorbed, which is a good environment for effective absorption.
• ② The increase of microbial activity around roots increases the opportunity for humus components to be transformed into microbial metabolites, and the metabolized polysaccharide and protein components are easy to be absorbed by roots.
• ③ The increase of soil microbial activity, resulting in more organic components in the soil, is a favorable condition for improving soil fertility, but also reduces the chance of soil compaction.
• (8) Rhamnoolipid has good inhibitory effect on fungi and can be used for seed dressing and inhibiting fungi and mildew.
• (9) As rhamnoolide in soil will eventually be thoroughly utilized by plants and soil microorganisms as nutrients, there will be no residue of rhamnoolide in soil after the end of plant growth, so it is a safe soil additive.
• (10) Rhamnoolipid related to agriculture:
• ① In 2004, the US Environmental Protection Agency approved rhamnoolide as a biopesticide (PC Code110029).
• ② New York State Administration of Solid and Hazardous Materials Pesticide, Department of Environmental Protection, Registration Document for a New Product of
• Active Ingredient rhamnoolipid registered pesticide (EPA Registration No. 72431-1).
• ③ Notice of Joint Registration of rhamnoolipid for Biocide Registration as a new active ingredient. 7 May 2003 (68 FR 24456).
• ④ United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Application for and Approval of rhamnoolipid Biosurfactants in food and pesticide chemicals. (68 FR 25026 and 68 FR 16796)
• ⑤ Effects of sucrose and rhamnoolipid on Fruit storage and Fresh-keeping LI Jiangyun, SHI Yiping, LI Zuyi. Plant Chinese Journal of Science,1998,34(2)
• ⑥ Root Uptake of Lipophilic Zinc#Rhamnolipid Complexes，J. Agric.Food Chem. 2008, 56, 2112–2117（Lipophilic root absorption – rhamnoolipid Zn complex）
• ⑦ Stability Constants for the Complexation of Various Metals with aRhamnolipid Biosurfactant，Francisco J. Ochoa-Loza, Janick F. Artiola, andRaina M. Maier（Stability constants of the complexation of rhamnoolipid biosurfactants with various metals）
• ⑧ US8217004 SEQUESTERING AGENT FOR MICRONUTRIENTFERTILISERS，Mike McLaughlin, Samuel Stacey, Enzo Lombi（United States patent for rhamnoolipid as a microfertilizer chelating agent）
• ⑨ Insecticidal activity of rhamnolipid isolated from pseudomonas sp.EP-3 against green peach aphid，J. Agric. Food Chem. 2011, 59, 934–938（Rhamnose-lipids are used to kill aphids）
• 3.Applications in environmental governance
• Rhamnoolipid can be used to repair environmental pollution caused by humans, including soil, garbage, water, ocean and oil pollution. It is embodied in:
• 1) Soil remediation and waste disposal
• Rhamnoolipids are used in soil treatment, mainly in the treatment of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), heavy metals, PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls), pesticides and oil pollution. The main principles of rhamnoolipid application in the treatment of PAHs and heavy metal pollution are as follows:
• Rhamnoolipids contribute to the desorption of PAHs from soil particles, and are dissolved in surfactant micelles and adsorbed on rhamnoolipids monomers, thus increasing the distribution of PAHs in aqueous and non-aqueous liquids. In addition,
  
• rhamnoolide can significantly change the balance of PAHs gas-liquid distribution, resulting in a significant decrease in the Henry constant of these organic pollutants, which leads to an increase in the transport rate of PAHs from soil particles to liquid phase and the volatilization rate to air, thus increasing the degradation and removal rate of PAHs, and providing a possibility for the biological removal of PAHs. When rhamnoolipid concentration increases to the critical concentration, it can obviously increase the capacity of PAHs.
• Removal of heavy metals: Rhamnoolide biosurfactants may promote the desorption of heavy metals in soil in two ways. One is to chelate with free metal ions in soil. Rhamnoolide biosurfactants can be used as chelating agents to replace EDTA to remove heavy metal pollutants from soil, sewage and other liquids, because it is degradable and does not cause secondary pollution. The other is to make heavy metal ions in soil contact with surfactants directly by reducing interfacial tension.
• For the soil or water pollution caused by insecticides or highly toxic pesticides, rhamnoolipid and its production bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa have the effect of repair, according to data, rhamnoolipid can promote Pseudomonas aeruginosa to degrade endosulfouan, so as to repair highly toxic pollution of soil or water.
• The application of rhamnoolipid in the composting process has better water retention performance in organic granular media, which is conducive to maintaining the activity of microorganisms in composting for a long time. Meanwhile, the appropriate concentration of rhamnoolipid can accelerate the infiltration of water in granular media. This effect of rhamnoolipid is believed to promote the formation of liquid film in the medium and optimize the distribution of water in the medium. A certain concentration of rhamnoolipid can reduce the adsorption of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on the surface of the particle medium, promote the transport of the bacteria in the organic matter particles, and enable the bacteria to transfer to the deep layer of the organic matter medium. It can be seen that the addition of rhamnoolipid has a potential effect on the distribution of bacteria in the compost medium. The addition of rhamnoolipids also enhanced the dispersion of organic matter in liquid phase, and promoted the growth of microorganisms and degradation of organic matter components. The detection before and after particle degradation showed that with the participation of rhamnoolipid, the location of degradation reaction was
• transferred from the particle surface to the liquid phase of the medium. Rhamnoolipid is a biodegradable substance for non-native strains compared with chemical surfactants. In compost, it can be degraded by composting microorganisms, but it is not a priority for microbial degradation. Relevant reports show that biosurfactants have potential effects on improving the microenvironment of compost and increasing the efficiency of compost, while it does not produce secondary pollution in compost.
• In addition, it has been reported that rhamnoolipid can be used for elution of PCBS and change the HLB of PCBS so that they are easily absorbed and degraded by Pseudomonas. It can also be used to cooperate with phytoremediation methods, on the one hand to promote plant growth, on the other hand to enhance the absorption effect of soil heavy metal ions by plants, which is a good method of plant technology in situ treatment of soil contaminated by heavy metals.
• Some literatures related to rhamnose-lipids and soil remediation:
• (1) Remediation of a heavy metal and PAH-contaminated sediment by a
• rhamnolipid ，Ali AlaviAugust 2011（Treatment of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with rhamnose-grease foam）
• (2) Preparation of rhamnoolipids and its application in remediation of polychlorinated Biphenyl contaminated soil, Ma Manying, PhD Thesis, Hunan University.
• (3) EFFECT OF RHAMNOLIPID POTENTIAL ON BIODEGRADATION OF ENDOSULFAN BY Pseudomonas aeruginosa IN BATCH STUDIES. Arunkumar Mani ,J Biosci Tech, Vol 2 (3),2011,268-278（Potential effect of rhamnoolipid on endosulfan biodegradation induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa）
• (4) BIOREMEDIATION OF CRUDE OIL-BEARING SOIL: EVALUATING THE EFFECT OF RHAMNOLIPID ADDITION TO SOIL TOXICITY AND TO CRUDE OIL BIODEGRADATION EFFICIENCY，Global NEST Journal, Vol 11, No 2, pp 181-188, 2009（Biodegradation of natural oily soils: assessing the toxicity of rhamnoolipid supplementation to soil and the biodegradation efficiency of crude oil）
• (5) Biosurfactation-microbial Enhancement of alfalfa for remediation of PAHs contaminated soil, Environmental Science, Vol. 31, No. 4, 2010
• (6) Study on the mechanism of biosurfactant rhamnose-lipids improving the microenvironment of composting Medium and its application in composting. Ph. D. Thesis
• 2) Water treatment and Marine pollution
• Similar to soil treatment, rhamnoolipid can also promote the biodegradation of PAHs in sewage. Studies have shown that under aerobic conditions, 15mg/l rhamnoolipid can be used to enhance the biodegradation capacity of 15 PAHs in wastewater treatment plants in the petroleum industry, increasing the degradation ratio by 10-20% in normal conditions. At the same time, the addition of rhamnofat can also increase the inert COD removal efficiency of wastewater to about 15-20%, and the removal rate of soluble COD can be increased by 40%-60%. Our company has carried out two years of sewage application experiment in Jihua Sewage plant. The water quality of Jihua sewage plant is complicated (oil refining sewage + petrochemical sewage + domestic sewage, etc.). The COD of the original biological system after normal discharge is about 75, and more than 90% is inert COD. We designed aerobic and anaerobic processes. The experimental results show that, on the basis of the normal process of the sewage plant, rhamnose-lipids are added to the system. Under the same circumstances, the effluent COD decreases by 19% on average compared with the normal effluent, and the average effluent COD is controlled below 60.
• The removal of PAHs and the reduction of COD by rhamnose-lipids are mainly based on activation and enhancement of the original biological environment. This is mainly reflected in the surface activity of rhamnoolipid. Its molecular structure has both hydrophobic and hydrophilic parts, which can reduce the surface tension of polycyclic components in sewage and increase the solubility of hydrophobic components in water. At the same time, due to its lipophilic characteristics, it can improve the cell wall permeability of microorganisms in water. It provides an indirect way for microorganisms to contact and consume harmful substances. This enables the microorganisms in the original system to consume harmful ingredients more comprehensively and quickly and multiply, achieving a virtuous cycle.
• Chinese and American scientists successfully used a bacterial solution that produces rhamnolipid during the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, according to Indian news agency IANS and several local media reports. The oil can’t be removed in time due to its large area and rapid diffusion, and the application of this bacterial solution effectively helps to remove the oil. The bacteria itself can use petroleum as a food source, and its metabolite is rhamnoolipid, which can promote microbial degradation of polycyclic
• aromatic hydrocarbons in petroleum. Rhamnoolipid is relatively stable under different temperature, pH and salinity, and can effectively degrade many PAHs in crude oil.
• Red tide is an abnormal phenomenon of Marine ecology in which some phytoplankton, protozoa or bacteria in the ocean proliferate or proliferate exploitously under certain environmental conditions, resulting in discoloration of Marine water. It not only destroys Marine fishery resources and production, affects coastal tourism and damages Marine ecological environment, but also causes human poisoning and even death by eating seafood contaminated by toxic red tide organisms. According to relevant studies, rhamnoolipid can inhibit the growth of some algae. When the concentration of rhamnoolipid was 4mg/L, 7mg/L and 10mg/L, respectively, the growth of Prodinoflagellate microdinoflagellate, Alga coniformis and Alga tamalalexandrina could be completely inhibited. In addition, when rhamnoolipid reached a certain concentration, the growth of Marine protodinoflagellate was also significantly inhibited. The inhibitory effects of rhamnoolipid on the growth of different dinoflagellates were different, and the order was as follows: Prodinoflagellate East China Sea > Coniformis, Protodinoflagellate micro> Tamar Alexandrina alga; Marine protodinoflagellates > Nudidinoflagellates. When the concentration of rhamnoolipid reached 15mg/L, the cells of these five kinds of algae were irreversibly destroyed. Rhamnoolipid is more effective than sophora sophoripid in inhibiting the growth of dinoflagellate by using biosurfactants, and it has a good application prospect in controlling dinoflagellate red tide.
• Some literatures related to rhamnose-lipids and sewage and ocean:
• (1) Effect of rhamnolipid on the aerobic removal of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and COD components from petrochemical wastewater，Bioresource Technology 101 (2010) 914–924（Effect of rhamnoolipid on aerobic removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and COD components from petrochemical wastewater）
• (2) Biosurfactant rhamnoolipid promotes the degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in water, Chinese Journal of Applied & Environmental Biology, 2006,12(4):570 ~ 573（3） Effects of rhamnose-lipids on growth inhibition of dinoflagellate red tide in the East China Sea, Chinese Journal of Applied & Environmental Biology, 2007,13(5): 657-661
• (3) US-China Study Finds Bacteria That Can Clean Gulf of Mexico Oil, 09:14:17, June 13,
• 2010 Source: xinhua net (http://news.xinhuanet.com/tech/2010-06/13/c_12217215.htm)
• 4.Food applications
• Rhamnoolipid is mainly used in food as a bulking agent to increase the baking volume and a fruit preservative. It has been certified as safe to eat by the EPA.
• Rhamnose-grease can be used to improve the stability of dough or batter, the texture of dough, better control of the bulk and shape of baked goods, and to facilitate the storage of baked goods. Rhamnolide can be further used to improve the stability of whipped cream, decorative cream, and non-dairy cream fillings for Danish pastries, croissants, and other fresh or frozen refined sugary foods.
• Other studies have reported that rhamnoolipid can be used in fruit and vegetable preservation. In addition to low temperature gas regulation, chemical preservative is often used in fruit and vegetable preservation technology. There are concerns about chemical residues in this type of preservative. Rhamnoolipid is a kind of biosurfactant, which has the effects of antiviral, bactericidal, moisturizing, film forming, emulsifying and solubilizing. It can be completely degraded by organisms, non-toxic and conducive to environmental protection. The application of rhamnoseolide in fruit and vegetable preservation is mainly reflected in the form of coating agent, which can form a film on the surface of fruit and vegetable, so as to prevent the oxygen in the air from entering, and form a low oxygen environment in the film, reduce respiration, so as to extend the storage period of fruits and vegetables. Through experiments, rhamnose-grease coating preservative has good effect on the preservation of apple, pear and orange. The decay rate, dry consumption rate and respiration rate were reduced, the storage period was prolonged, and the loss of nutrients was reduced, and the original flavor was basically unchanged. Some literatures related to the application of rhamnoolipid in food field:
• US2006233935A1 Rhamnolipids in bakery products (US patent: Rhamnoolide in Bakery Products), inventor VAN HAESENDONCK INGRID P H [BE] VANZEVERENEMMANUEL C A [BE]
• Effects of sucrose vinegar and rhamnoolipid on Fruit storage and fresh-keeping, Plant Physiology Letters, Vol. 32, No. 4, April 1998
• 5.Applications in beauty and cosmetics
• The cosmetic industry uses a large number of surfactants, which are present in almost every product. Different products that contain surfactants include anti-dandruff products, skin creams, hair dyes, shampoos and conditioners, toothpaste, mascara, nail polish, lipstick, antiperspirant, baby products, shaving creams, moisturizers, soaps, eyeshadow, wipes and perfumes. The most commonly used are SLES (dodecyl ether sulfates) and SLS (dodecyl ether sulfates).
• Regulators have accused SLES of containing a carcinogen, 1.4-dioxane. 1.4-dioxane is a by-product of SLES production and is usually not completely removed from SLES products. SLS has been shown to irritate the skin at higher concentrations. Although the traditional production of SLS is derived from coconut or palm oil, some SLS are manufactured from petroleum and petroleum by-products. Rhamnoolipids are natural products found in moisturizers, shampoos, soaps, and most cosmetics listed above that will replace petroleum-derived surfactants and emulsifiers such as SLS, SDS or NADS.
• Rhamnoolipids can be dispersed through dispersion and wettability. To help retain moisture, lubricate, foam, and act as a cleaning agent. It keeps the system of the mixture stable, controls the viscosity of the product, and emulsifies the oil in the pores, reducing the incidence of acne. Rhamnolipid has been officially included in the International Cosmetic Raw Material Nominational (INCI) database.
• 6.Application of rhamnoolipid in medicine
• Research has shown that rhamnoolipid has many medical benefits. Rhamnose-lipids have been used to cure bedsores, which do not work in the traditional way. Rhamnolipid is also used to treat wounds and burns, speeding up the healing process and reducing the scarring associated with treatment with other methods. Experiments have shown that rhamnose-lipids are also effective in treating skin diseases such as psoriasis and dermatitis. Rhamnoolipid is also very effective in fighting fungal and bacterial infections.
• In the 1990s, researchers at the Yugoslav Academy discovered by chance that rhamnose-fat and Pseudomonas aeruginosa had a good healing effect on skin burns. They used bisrhamnofat in a study of the process of skin wound healing, adding it to a salve of ucerin and applying it to full-thickness burn wounds in mice, covering 5% of the
• total body surface. The wound healing rate was measured after 45 days. The collagen content was estimated using a microscope, and the picric acid staining histopathological slides were analyzed by optical density of the wound biopsy at 45 days after treatment with rhamnose-lipids. A subcutaneous multidose study of Swiss-Webster mice was used to estimate the toxicity of bisrhamnolipids. Treatment of 0.1% local double-rhamnoolipid full-layer burn accelerated wound healing at 21 days of treatment, compared with 32% in control (p < 0.05). At day 35, all the animals’ wounds healed – treated with 0.1% rhamnoolipid ointment, while at day 35 or even 45 some of the rats in the control group had their wounds still bare. Tissue comparison showed that compared with vector treatment (control) wounds, the content of bifrhamnoolipid collagen in burn wounds was significantly reduced (47.5%, p < 0.05). Bisrhamnoolipid was well tolerated. The results of this study raise the possibility of the potential efficacy of bisrhamnoolipid in promoting normal wound healing and overcoming deficits associated with long-term wound healing failure. It fully reflects the effect of rhamnofat in the treatment of skin burns.
• In addition, Piljac et al. in the United States combined with previous research results and proved through years of practice that rhamnoolipid can be used as a treatment for skin diseases, viral infections, as a medical preparation for treatment and cosmetic treatment. He patented rhamnolipid as a basic drug, and it was granted on October 3, 1995. Other medical applications include coated stents, implants, prosthetics and bandages to prevent gum disease.
• Some literatures related to the application of rhamnoolipid in medical field：
• (1) Enhanced healing of full-thickness burn wounds using dirhamnolipid Tamara Stipcevic（Full – layer burns are cured with rhamnose-lipoid enhancement），Ante Piljac, and Goran Piljac TajCo Inc., 2323 Shasta Drive #40, Davis,CA 95616, USA
• (2) US5455232 Pharmaceutical Preparation Based On Rhamnolipid（Pharmaceutical preparations based on rhamnoolipid），Piljac et al.
• Rhamnose-related certification (License)
• 1.President’s Green Chemistry Challenge Award
• In 2004, rhamnoolipid biosurfactant was awarded the President’s Green Chemistry Challenge Award by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
• Rhamnolipid Biosurfactant – A Natural Low Toxicity Alternative to Synthetic Surfactants
• Original website: (EPA)
• http://www.epa.gov/greenchemistry/pubs/pgcc/past.html#2004]
• 2.Biopesticide registration
• The Office of Pesticide Programming of the United States Environmental Protection Agency approved rhamnoolipid for use as a biopesticideAdditional document (Pesticide Code: 110029)
• US Environmental Protection Agency Office of Pesticide Programs
• BIOPESTICIDES REGISTRATION ACTION DOCUMENT
• RHAMNOLIPID BIOSURFACTANT (PC Code 110029)
• Original website: (EPA) http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/chem_search/reg_actions/registration/decision_PC-110029_11-May-04.pdf]
• New York State Administration of Solid and Hazardous Materials Pesticide, Department of Environmental Protection, Registration Document for New Active Ingredient rhamnoolipid registered Pesticide New Product (EPA Registration No. 72431-1).
• New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Solid and Hazardous Materials Bureau of Pesticides Management. Registration of the New Active Ingredient Rhamnolipid Biosurfactant as Contained in the New Pesticide Product.
• BLI-NIX™ (EPA Reg. No. 72431-1).
• Website: (PMEP, Pesticide Management Education Program website)
• http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/biopest-biocont/biofung/rhamnolipid/blinix_reg_0206.pdf]
• 3.Notice for Registration of Biocides (insecticides)
• Notice of Joint Registration of rhamnoolipid for Biocide Registration as a new active ingredient.7 May 2003 (68 FR 24456).
• A notice of receipt of the application for registration of Zonix™ Bio fungicide was published in the Federal Register on 7 May, 2003 (68 FR 24456) with a 30-day comment period. No comments were received following this publication.
• Website for original documents: (Notice of American Federation)
• https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2003/05/07/03-11003/pesticide-products-registration-applications
• Direct download address: (United States Postal Service) http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2003-05-07/pdf/03-11003.pdf]
• 4.Evaluation and approval of rhamnoolipid adduction in food and pesticide
• Us Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), on rhamnose-lipid Biosurfactants in Food, Pesticide chemistry Application and approval of tolerance in product. (68 FR 25026 and 68 FR 16796)（68 FR 25026）ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
• [OPP–2003–0162; FRL–7306–3]
• Rhamnolipid Biosurfactant; Notice of Filing a Pesticide Petition to Establish a Tolerance for a Certain Pesticide Chemical in or on Food.
• （68 FR 16796）ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
• 40 CFR Part 180 [OPP–2003–0281; FRL–7347–7]
• Rhamnolipid Biosurfactant; Exemption from the Requirement of aTolerance.
• 68 FR 25026 original document query website: (American Union Bulletin) https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2003/05/09/03-11478/rhamnolipid-biosurfactant-notice-of-filing-a-pesticide-petition-to-establish-a-tolerance-for-a
• Direct download address: (United States Postal Service) http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2003-05-09/pdf/03-11478.pdf]
• 68 FR 16796 for original documents: (United States Bulletin) https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2004/03/31/04-6933/rhamnolipid-biosurfactant-exemption-from-the-requirement-of-a-tolerance
• Direct download address: (United States Postal Service) http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2004-03-31/pdf/04-6933.pdf]