Synthesis of Renewable Surfactants

Abstract

Herbicides such as Roundup are used to kill unwanted plants. These products utilize glyphosate as the active ingredient and were previously believed to be carcinogenic and related to cancer development. Multiple carcinogenicity studies have been carried out and numerous regulatory agencies have determined that the data does not support a link between glyphosate and cancer.1 However, it has been reported that surfactants, another ingredient in common herbicides, are more toxic than glyphosate itself.2 Surfactants are used to overcome solubility problems and to facilitate the dispersal of molecules in a solution. In order to create herbicide products with less toxicity to humans, new surfactants are being synthesized and researched.2 The aim of this research project is to create non-toxic surfactants using green and renewable resources such as natural carbohydrates and fatty acids. The resulting surfactants will be characterized, and their properties tested with the goal of creating less toxic, natural, and renewable surfactants to be used in products like Roundup.