Biosurfactants in the sustainable eradication of SARS COV-2 from the environmental surfaces.

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 outbreak has brought the world, at least, to one consensus that cleanliness is unavoidable under all circumstances. Hands are the main body part to interact with the environment and thus are prone to receive, initiate and propagate the chain of infection. Hand hygiene has, therefore, been most emphasized by experts to interrupt the spread of infection. Various harsh chemicals like synthetic surfactants and alcoholic preparations have been in practice to eradicate and disinfect the germs. This choice may be unsafe and cause a subsequent chain of adversities. Thereby, biosurfactants have been proposed as sustainable, non-toxic and safe surface cleaners cum disinfectants under a wide range of physiological and environmental conditions. The amphiphilic micellar behavior of biosurfactants makes them promising candidates as hygienic surface cleaners and therapeutic carriers. We overview the possibilities of using biosurfactants in different ways against microbial pathogens, in general, and the SARS COV-2, in specific.