Green Design and Life Cycle Assessment of Novel Thiophene-Based Surfactants to Balance Their Synthesis Performance and Environmental Impact

Continuous human population growth, industrialization, and technical progress have increased the demand for a new design and synthesis of chemical compounds. Developing eco-friendly chemical compounds has been a priority for fostering a sustainable and healthy environment, which is directly linked to human well-being. In this context, green chemistry and circular economy principles have been applied to generate valuable new chemicals, such as surfactants, with high market value. Surfactants play a crucial role in various products for both domestic and industrial applications, leading to their large-scale production a diverse array of chemical structures. However, the advantages of their use must be balanced against their negative environmental impact as pollutants. Thus, there is an increasing demand for the development of new eco-friendly surfactants. Additionally, life cycle assessment (LCA) studies of new surfactants are essential for evaluating their environmental impact, enhancing energy efficiency and facilitating the transition toward sustainable energy resources. In this work, we present the chemical synthesis of oligomeric and polymeric thiophene-based surfactants with potential applications in biosensors, organic transistors, and various other fields. The newly synthesized oligomeric and polymeric thiophene-based surfactants demonstrated medium-to-high biodegradation potential and showed no significant ecotoxicological effects on bacterial communities. However, the LCA of their synthesis revealed a negative impact on the environment and human health, particularly concerning polymeric thiophene-based surfactants. The LCA identified specific chemical steps that could be optimized to develop a new generation of eco-friendly surfactants.