LINEAR ALKYLBENZENE SULFONATE (LAS) - UNEP Chemicals

OECD SIDS LINEAR ALKYLBENZENE SULFONATE (LAS)
Remarks: None designated
Classification
Remarks: None designated
1.7 USE PATTERN
A. General
Type of Use: Category:
main Wide dispersive use
industrial Personal and domestic use
use Cleaning/Washing agent
Remarks: About 78-97% of the LAS consumption worldwide is in liquid and powder consumer
and industrial laundry and fine fabric detergents. Another 2-10% of the LAS
produced is used in consumer and industrial dishwashing liquids, with the remainder
(1-5%) used in other consumer and industrial cleaners.
B. Uses in Consumer Products
Function Amount present Physical state
detergent up to 25% of formulation powder or liquid
Remarks: LAS is an anionic surfactant that lowers the surface tension of water, enabling soils
and stains to loosen and release from fabrics and surfaces. LAS is the primary
cleaning agent used in many liquid and powder laundry detergents and speciality
household cleaners at concentrations up to 25 percent of the total formulation.
The following table shows the percentage of LAS that occurs in various types of consumer detergent
products.
Consumer Product
Range of Percent Composition that is LAS
Type
Laundry Detergents
North America Europe Japan
- Powders
5-25%
5-25%
5-25%
- Liquids
1-25%
5-10%
5-25%
- Tablets
5-25%
10-25%
5-25%
Liquid Fine Fabric
Detergents
- - 1-5%
Bleaches - - 0.1-0.5%
Pre-Washes - - 5-10%
Fabric Conditioners
(sheets)
0.1-0.5% - -
Dishwashing Detergents
(liquids)
5-25% 10-25% 1-5%
General Cleaners
(dilutable)
1-5% 1-5% -
Hard Surface Cleaners 1-5% 0.1-0.5% 0.5-10%
Other Cleaners - - 0.1-0.5%
Face & Hand Soaps
(bar)
1-5% - -
UNEP PUBLICATIONS 115