| Surfactants based on renewable resources and 'greener' synthetic routes have become a major focus of researchers worldwide. Although the surfactant industry uses the term 'natural surfactant' to indicate the presence of bio-based ingredients in their product lines, the industry as a whole still heavily relies on petrochemical feed stocks and harsh chemical synthesis for the manufacture of surfactants. In addition, after use, most commercially available surfactants are either non-biodegradable or degrade to produce more toxic products as in the case of Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs).;In an attempt to design and develop non-toxic, bio-derived and biodegradable surfactants, this research demonstrates the possibility of converting abundantly available polysaccharides such as (polygalacturonic acid) [PGA] and algae (alginic acid) into 'greener' surfactants. The hydrophilic modification of polysaccharides using taurine (2-aminoethane sulfonic acid) is carried out in an environmentally benign one-pot reaction to yield surface-active polymeric surfactants. Structural characterization, surface activity, acid/base stability, temperature stability, and wettability of this new class of polysaccharide-based surfactants are presented.;These novel polysaccharide-based surfactants exhibit cleaning and stain removal efficiency comparable to commercial surfactants such as Triton X-100 and sodium lauryl sulfate, specifically towards hydrophilic dirt. This research establishes a general methodology for synthesis of surface-active polysaccharides, opening new possibilities in the area of sustainable and non-toxic surfactants. |
