LINEAR ALKYLBENZENE SULFONATE (LAS) - UNEP Chemicals

OECD SIDS LINEAR ALKYLBENZENE SULFONATE (LAS)
1.1 GENERAL SUBSTANCE INFORMATION
A. Type of Substance
element [ ]; inorganic [ ]; natural substance [ ]; organic [X]; organometallic [ ];
petroleum product [ ]
B. Physical State (at 20°C and 1.013 hPa)
gaseous [ ]; liquid [ ]; solid [X] for pure substance
C. Purity 87-98%
Purity refers to the percent LAS, with iso-branched LAS and DATS
considered to be impurities. The “activity” may also be stated, and
represents the percent of active LAS in the solution (e.g., 50% active LAS is
half strength LAS, the LAS of which will be 87-98% pure, with the
remaining 50% consisting of water).
D. Manufacturing Process
1.2 SYNONYMS
1.3 IMPURITIES
LAS is manufactured from linear alkylbenzene (LAB) in self-contained,
enclosed systems (see SIAR Annex, Format A, Section VI(1), for more
information). LAB is produced by reacting paraffins with benzene and a
catalyst and isolating the LAB by distillation. The LAB is then sulfonated,
which in turn is then neutralized to sodium salts of LAS.
Linear alkylbenzene sulfonates
LAS
Sodium-n-alkyl (C10-13) Benzene Sulfonate
Numerous trade names, e.g. Marlon A
Remarks: Dialkyltetralin Sulfonates (DATS) and single methyl-branched alkyl chain
LAS (iso-LAS) make up minor components in commercial LAS.
Concentrations range from