Simultaneous Production of Rhamnolipids and Glycolipopeptides by <i>Burkholderia thailandensis</i> E264 via Covalorization of Torrefied Wood Waste and Food Waste

Continued research into structurally and functionally diverse biosurfactants is crucial to identify new biosurfactants that are cost-competitive and suitable for diverse industrial niches. Herein, we report the successful application of wood waste torrefied at 225 °C (T225) and food waste (FWS) as media components in three different formulationsT225, T225-FWS, and FWSfor the concomitant production of rhamnolipids and biopolymers by <i>Burkholderia thailandensis</i> E264. The rhamnolipids (carbon chain length C8-C16) exhibited media-dependent congener differences, and the biopolymers were identified to be glycolipopeptides with molecular weights of 4.4 × 10⁵-5.5 × 10⁵ Da. T225-FWS exhibited the highest thermostability and retained ∼30% of its residual mass at 400 °C, suggesting potential high-temperature applications, including oil recovery and industrial cleaning. Rhamnose was the dominant sugar in T225 and T225-FWS glycolipopeptides, whereas in FWS, galactose was dominant. FAME analysis by GC-MS revealed lipid chains ranging from C12 to C18 in the biopolymers. All three biopolymers were anionic and possessed β-hemolytic, emulsification, and drop-collapse activities against crude oil and engine oil. Moreover, T225, T225-FWS, and FWS biopolymers could reduce the surface tension of water up to 36.8, 35.4, and 48.5 mN/m, respectively. This study could lead to resource-efficient synthesis of structurally and, hence, functionally tunable biosurfactants from low-cost, completely waste-derived media in biorefinery operations.