Is Acrylates/Ceteth-20 Itaconate Copolymer natural? NOI 0.04

Q: Is Acrylates/Ceteth-20 Itaconate Copolymer natural?

Acrylates/Ceteth-20 Itaconate Copolymer has a Natural Origin Index (NOI) of 0.04 (scale 0–1) per ISO 16128. Fermentation-derived itaconic acid and oleochemical cetyl alcohol are diluted by a long petrochemical ethoxylate chain and a mostly-acrylic petrochemical backbone. An NOI of 0.04 means 4% of its molecular mass is traceable to a natural, renewable source.

How we scored it

Itaconic acid (fermentation, natural) half-esterified with Ceteth-20 (cetyl fragment natural, 20-EO chain petrochemical, ~0.22 of that fragment); assumed ~10 wt% of copolymer vs 90% petrochemical acrylic backbone gives ~0.04.

What counts. ISO 16128-2 scores the atoms that remain in the final ingredient. Reagents, solvents, catalysts and protecting groups used during manufacture leave no mass behind and are not counted.

Where it comes from

The itaconate-ceteth-20 macromonomer combines fermentation-derived itaconic acid and oleochemical cetyl alcohol with a 20-mole petrochemical ethylene oxide chain; this macromonomer is a minor fraction of a predominantly petrochemical acrylic/methacrylic acid backbone. Exact ratios are not disclosed and were assumed typical for associative thickeners.

In plain English

A thickening polymer combining small amounts of fermentation- and coconut/palm-derived materials with a mostly synthetic acrylic backbone and ethoxylated chain. Mostly petroleum-derived by weight.

CosIng definition: Copolymer formed from the half ester of methylenebutanedioic acid and poly(oxy-1,2-ethanediyl),.alpha.-hexadecyl-.omega.-hydroxy-, and one or more monomers of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or one of their simple esters

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References

1ISO 16128-1:2016 and ISO 16128-2:2017 — Guidelines on technical definitions and criteria for natural and organic cosmetic ingredients and products. ISO, Geneva.
2ACRYLATES/CETETH-20 ITACONATE COPOLYMER. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
3ACRYLATES/CETETH-20 ITACONATE COPOLYMER. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=ACRYLATES/CETETH-20%20ITACONATE%20COPOLYMER