210
R. Tesser et al.
detergents, where they exhibit synergistic effects with other surfactants, and owing
to their suitability for the manufacture of highly concentrated detergents or compact
products. Cationic surfactants are used for fabric softening and liquid household
products and finally amphoteric surfactants are used for body-care preparations [159].
8.2.3 Biosurfactant as an Alternative to Synthetic Surfactant:
Raw Materials
Usually, the choice of feedstock is between petrochemical or oleochemical raw materials [43, 175]. The choice of the raw material depends on many factors, in particular, the availability and its price are very important. Another important aspect is
the environmental impact of the final product. Traditional petrochemical surfactants
show a low rate of biodegradation and high potential aquatic toxicity [54]. Due to
poor biodegradability and the growing surfactants demand new green surfactants
are developing. Bio-based surfactants have the same properties as petrochemical
surfactants and, at the same time, they are, in most cases, biodegradable and with
low toxicity. Consequently, industry and research organizations are active in finding
out new ways of producing surfactants that are more environmentally friendly and
safer, which entail a minimum health risk, and which can be produced from domestic
renewable resources. Most bio-based surfactants are made from vegetable oils and
they are named ‘oleochemicals surfactants’.
The oleochemical industry uses natural oils and fats as its raw material, and converts these to three major oleochemical building blocks, all of which are relevant
for the surfactants industry as a source of hydrophobic compounds. These are fatty
acids, fatty methyl esters and fatty alcohols respectively. Oleochemical hydrophobic building blocks for the surfactants industry are based on natural oils and fats.
Therefore, to choose the raw material (animals and plants), we should consider some
crucial factors regarding this, in particular, we must consider availability, composition and cost-effectiveness. For what concern the availability, natural oils and fats
can be derived from a wide range of vegetable and animal source. In particular, the
most important vegetable oils used in the surfactants industry are coconut oil, palm
kernel oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, olive oil, sunflower oil and soybean oil, while the
most important animal source is tallow.
The most common hydrophobes derived from renewable raw materials are
obtained from plant fatty acids or animal tallow triglycerides. Fatty acids obtained
usually from oils are stearic acid (C18) and palmitic acid (C16) [68]. The most
important raw materials for the surfactants industry are coconut oil and palm kernel
oil which have a high amount of fatty acids: about 70% of fatty acid with tails 14
carbons or less in length.
The palm kernel oil is produced from the fruit kernel, the coconut oil, instead, is
obtained from the fruit pulp, while the remainder of the coconut is used for biochar
(shell) and for food (milk).
R. Tesser et al.
detergents, where they exhibit synergistic effects with other surfactants, and owing
to their suitability for the manufacture of highly concentrated detergents or compact
products. Cationic surfactants are used for fabric softening and liquid household
products and finally amphoteric surfactants are used for body-care preparations [159].
8.2.3 Biosurfactant as an Alternative to Synthetic Surfactant:
Raw Materials
Usually, the choice of feedstock is between petrochemical or oleochemical raw materials [43, 175]. The choice of the raw material depends on many factors, in particular, the availability and its price are very important. Another important aspect is
the environmental impact of the final product. Traditional petrochemical surfactants
show a low rate of biodegradation and high potential aquatic toxicity [54]. Due to
poor biodegradability and the growing surfactants demand new green surfactants
are developing. Bio-based surfactants have the same properties as petrochemical
surfactants and, at the same time, they are, in most cases, biodegradable and with
low toxicity. Consequently, industry and research organizations are active in finding
out new ways of producing surfactants that are more environmentally friendly and
safer, which entail a minimum health risk, and which can be produced from domestic
renewable resources. Most bio-based surfactants are made from vegetable oils and
they are named ‘oleochemicals surfactants’.
The oleochemical industry uses natural oils and fats as its raw material, and converts these to three major oleochemical building blocks, all of which are relevant
for the surfactants industry as a source of hydrophobic compounds. These are fatty
acids, fatty methyl esters and fatty alcohols respectively. Oleochemical hydrophobic building blocks for the surfactants industry are based on natural oils and fats.
Therefore, to choose the raw material (animals and plants), we should consider some
crucial factors regarding this, in particular, we must consider availability, composition and cost-effectiveness. For what concern the availability, natural oils and fats
can be derived from a wide range of vegetable and animal source. In particular, the
most important vegetable oils used in the surfactants industry are coconut oil, palm
kernel oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, olive oil, sunflower oil and soybean oil, while the
most important animal source is tallow.
The most common hydrophobes derived from renewable raw materials are
obtained from plant fatty acids or animal tallow triglycerides. Fatty acids obtained
usually from oils are stearic acid (C18) and palmitic acid (C16) [68]. The most
important raw materials for the surfactants industry are coconut oil and palm kernel
oil which have a high amount of fatty acids: about 70% of fatty acid with tails 14
carbons or less in length.
The palm kernel oil is produced from the fruit kernel, the coconut oil, instead, is
obtained from the fruit pulp, while the remainder of the coconut is used for biochar
(shell) and for food (milk).