The biosurfactant produced by B. subtilis ICA56 is an effective
tensoative and emulsifier. Furthermore, the crude biosurfactant
has potential to be used in bioremediation, since it is capable
of efficiently remove hydrocarbons and heavy metals from contaminated
systems in a broad range of pH, temperature and NaCl
concentration, with the advantage of being nontoxic. Some agroindustrial
wastes such sunflower oil and glycerol can be used as low
cost substrates for the biosurfactant production, rendering around
1.000 mg L−1 of crude biosurfactant