ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Researchers from the University of Minnesota have invented a new soap molecule made from renewable sources.

They claim it could be used to produce soaps manufactured from natural products such as soybeans, coconut and corn. And besides reducing the problem of harmful chemicals and particles entering the water system, the new soaps would actually work better than traditional products according to the researchers.

Recent concerns about substances such as Triclosan and microbeads in soaps have led to increased research into sustainable solutions.

The new soaps invented at the University of Minnesota combine biodegradable ingredients to form a molecule known as oleo-furan-surfactant (OFS). Researchers found that OFS worked well in cold water where conventional petroleum-based soaps become cloudy and gooey, which basically makes them unusable.

OFS soaps were also shown to form soap particles at low concentrations which means they could reduce the environmental impact on water systems. And the study - published in American Chemical Society's ACS Central Science - also showed the new soap molecule to work better with hard water than conventional products.

"OFS is made from straight carbon chains derived from soybeans or coconut which can readily biodegrade," said chemical engineering and materials science graduate student Kristeen Joseph. "These are really the perfect soap molecules."

And co-author of the study associate professor Paul Dauenhauer, adds: "This research could have a major impact on the multibillion-dollar cleaning products industry."

The technology has been patented by the University of Minnesota and licensed to local start-up company Sironix Renewables.