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Video

Biotechnology

Surfactants and Detergents

Session:: Biosurfactants - Part I

Optimization of essential oil solubilization by sophorolipids through high-throughput research

Monday, May 1, 2023
2:50 PM – 3:10 PM MDT
Room: 405
Abstract: Market trends are moving towards biosurfactants. For widespread adoption, these surfactants must match or improve upon the properties of surfactants derived from petrochemical sources. A key feature of many home and personal care formulations is solubilization of essential oils and fragrances. As such, the major thrust of our research was to identify optimal sophorolipid surfactant formulations for solubilization of essential oils. This presentation describes use of a high-throughput research (HTR) workflow to demonstrate that sophorolipid surfactants are more efficient solubilizers of select essential oils than widely used ethoxylated, hydrogenated castor oil surfactants. The optimal concentration of lactone relative to the acid form of the sophorolipid surfactant is dependent on the essential oil. Overall, these results have allowed Dow to bring an exciting new class of biosurfactants to the market.