Is Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer natural? NOI 0.24

Q: Is Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer natural?

Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer has a Natural Origin Index (NOI) of 0.24 (scale 0–1) per ISO 16128. Both monomers derive from petrochemical acrylamide/vinylpyrrolidone chemistry; only the sulfonate group counts as mineral-natural, since ammonium is natural-gas derived, not a l… An NOI of 0.24 means 24% of its molecular mass is traceable to a natural, renewable source.

How we scored it

Assume 1:1 copolymer: ammonium ATBS monomer 224 Da (SO3 80 Da natural; acrylamide backbone 126 Da + NH4 18 Da both petrochemical/natural-gas) + VP monomer 111 Da (petrochemical) -> natural 80 / total 335 = 0.24.

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

Made by free-radical copolymerisation of ammonium 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonate and N-vinylpyrrolidone, both petrochemical monomers. No bio-based route to either monomer exists.

In plain English

A synthetic thickener that forms gels in water-based formulas. Both monomers come from petrochemical feedstocks; only a small mineral-type sulfonate portion of the molecule counts as naturally derived.

CosIng definition: Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer is a copolymer of ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate and vinylpyrrolidone monomers

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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.
2AMMONIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYLTAURATE/VP COPOLYMER. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
3AMMONIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYLTAURATE/VP COPOLYMER. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=AMMONIUM%20ACRYLOYLDIMETHYLTAURATE/VP%20COPOLYMER