Srdečne Vás pozývame na piatu prednášku Vedeckého kolokvia FPV UMB v akademickom roku 2024/2025

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PREDNÁŠAJÚCA
prof. Sabina Jhaumeer Laulloo, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius, Mauritius

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NÁZOV PREDNÁŠKY
Amino acids - A promising pool of precursors for the synthesis of environmental and bio-friendly surfactants

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KEDY A KDE?

28. mája 2025 | 13:00 | miestnosť F257 (Katedra fyziky, 2. poschodie)

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ANOTÁCIA

Surfactants are a special class of chemicals that are widely recognized for their applications in everyday products such as food and pharmaceutical formulations, and most importantly in soap, shampoos and cosmetics, as well as laundry detergents.  The applications of surfactant compounds in cleaning products are mainly due to their unique structure that consists of both a “water-loving (hydrophilic) group and a “water-hating” (hydrophobic) moiety, which allows them to trap dirt and allow effective cleaning. Surfactant compounds also help in the cleaning of substances that are usually immiscible in water such as oil and grease, break it up and enabling them to be washed away with water.  Some surfactant compounds have also been found to possess antimicrobial properties, making them effective in their use in antiseptic agents. Apart from their benefits, the increased use of surfactants has had a significant impact on both the environment and human health. As a result, there is a growing demand for alternative, eco-friendly solutions, which has driven research toward bio-based surfactants.

Amino acid-based surfactants (AAS) are considered environmentally friendly “green” surfactants due to their biodegradability and low toxicity. They are seen as promising alternatives to conventional petroleum-based surfactants since they are derived from amino acids and fatty acids which are renewable feedstock. The structural diversity of amino acids used as the hydrophilic head group, combined with hydrophobic tails of varying chain lengths, leads to the development of a wide range of surfactant structures, which can be tuned to form compounds with distinct physicochemical and biological properties.

This lecture will explain the key terms related to this topic, including surfactants, amino acid-based surfactants, quaternary amino acid surfactants (QUATS), and Critical Micelle Concentration (CMC). It will also highlight the potential therapeutic applications of amino acid surfactants, such as their roles as antibacterial agents, their cellular toxicity, and their use as drug delivery vehicles with examples drawn from research conducted by our group at the University of Mauritius. Their application in detergency will also be discussed, 

In addition, the lecture will include a brief presentation on the University of Mauritius, focusing on the Faculty of Science, its structure, and its academic programmes.