Eco-technologies for obtaining carbohydrates based surfactants

Carbohydrate based surfactants represent an alternative to surfactants produced from
petrochemical raw materials. They can be prepared from various renewable vegetable raw
materials in a large structural diversity. This class of surfactants presents high surface active
properties and functionalities, being use in different industrial areas. The development of
carbohydrate based surfactants is possible due to their higher biodegradability and lower
toxicity. Two carbohydrate based surfactants, galactose palmitate and bolaamphiphilic
surfactant 1,12-dodecanedioyl digalactose, were synthesized by reacting the galactose with
fatty acid chlorides, in aqueous medium, alkaline catalysis, at room temperature, following the
principles of green chemistry. The structures of synthesized surfactants were proved by FT-IR
analysis. The surface activity of galactose palmitate was demonstrated by a low surface
tension at the interface water/oil.