High-performance biocompatible detergent formulated with fungal enzymes and sophorolipids

Abstract

Sustainable alternatives to petrochemical-based detergents require the integration of bioprocesses to generate effective, biodegradable, and biocompatible cleaning agents. This study formulated a biobased enzymatic detergent by combining two microbial fermentation platforms: solid-state fermentation (SSF) using Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus oryzae for hydrolytic enzyme production, and submerged fermentation with Starmerella bombicola for sophorolipid (SL) synthesis. Two extraction buffers and clarification strategies were evaluated. Micellar two-phase systems formed with Triton X-114 (TX, 1–3% w/w) in phosphate buffer efficiently removed fungal pigments while maintaining high recovery of cellulase, amylase, protease, and lipase activities, outperforming Tergitol-based systems. In parallel, Starmerella bombicola was cultivated to yield SL extracts with distinct properties. The extract obtained from glucose/oleic acid medium displayed full aqueous solubility, moderate surface tension reduction (45.2 mN/m), and high emulsifying activity. The integrated detergent, composed of TX-clarified enzymatic extract (EEpTX) and soluble SL, exhibited low surface tension (<30 mN/m), retained enzymatic activity, and achieved complete stain removal. Neither enzymes nor SL alone reached this performance, demonstrating a complementary action between both components. This work establishes an environmentally aligned strategy for producing high-performance enzymatic detergents from renewable microbial bioprocesses and highlights the potential of circular-economy substrates for next-generation green cleaning formulations.