TECHNOLOGICAL PROSPECTING OF THE PRODUCTION AND APPLICATION OF BIOSURFACTANT DERIVED FROM COCONUT

Resumo

Coconut (Cocos nucifera) is a tropical crop with significant annual production, and its processing results in by-products and waste, which include oil and pulp. These by-products have applications in various sectors, such as biotechnology, where they are used in the production of biosurfactants. In this context, the use of biomass can contribute to the minimization of costs associated with the processes of obtaining the bioproduct, due to the high availability of coconut, in addition to being a strong ally in waste management. To evaluate the context of application and the production process of biosurfactants derived from coconut by-products and waste, a patent search was conducted at the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) and the Patentscope of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to verify the national and international scenario. Thus, the results demonstrated that there is a diversity of patent documents relating biosurfactants in formulations with applications for different industrial sectors. However, no patents were detected that use coconut or its derivatives in isolation in fermentation processes for the production of biosurfactants. Therefore, the present work can serve as a bridge to technological development in the form of patent filings, through the detection of gaps in the industrial field.