Italian active maker Kalichem describes a novel active designed from the need imposed by modern trends to adapt to the standards of eco-sustainability, biodegradability and selection of clean sources in a critical category of raw materials, like surfactants
The use of common surfactants exposes well-known environmental issues such as low biodegradability and possible toxicological effects for human, animal and aquatic life, and adverse effects for skin and eye. Studies have shown the ecological impacts of commercially available surfactants, including anionic and cationic ones (quaternary ammonium compounds) due to their bioaccumulative properties and toxicity behaviour.1
The widespread and daily use of skin care and cleansing products has led over the years to concerns about water contamination by surfactants contained in cosmetic products. Evidence has shown that some of the common classes of surfactants (alkyl sulphates, amine oxide, alcohol ethoxylates, sulfonate derivatives etc.), since they could not be fully removed by water treatment, might accumulate in water courses with foam formation and water oxygen levels reduction, with toxic effect for aquatic life.1,2
It has also been demonstrated that the breakdown products could be more toxic than their precursors for the persistence in the environment.1 For example, the SLES (generally biodegradable) could turn into a non-biodegradable substance, if contaminated by 1,4-dioxane (by-product from the ethoxylation reaction of sodium lauryl sulphate).3
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