Is Sodium C14-18 Olefin Sulfonate natural? NOI 0.33

Q: Is Sodium C14-18 Olefin Sulfonate natural?

Sodium C14-18 Olefin Sulfonate has a Natural Origin Index (NOI) of 0.33 (scale 0–1) per ISO 16128. Sulfonate, hydroxide and sodium are mineral, but the C14-18 carbon chain comes from petrochemical alpha-olefins made by ethylene oligomerisation, so about two-thirds of the mass… An NOI of 0.33 means 33% of its molecular mass is traceable to a natural, renewable source.

How we scored it

Typical C16 blend, 62% alkene sulfonate (326.5 Da, natural SO3Na 103.0) and 38% hydroxyalkane sulfonate (344.5 Da, natural OH + SO3Na 120.1); olefin chain petrochemical: 109.5/333.3 = 0.33.

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

Dominant route: ethylene-derived linear alpha-olefins are sulfonated with SO3 and neutralised with sodium hydroxide, giving alkene and hydroxyalkane sulfonates. Olefins made from fatty alcohols would give a much higher value but are not commercially significant.

In plain English

A strongly foaming, grease-cutting surfactant used in shampoos, body washes and soaps. It is made by sulfonating C14 to C18 olefins, which come mainly from petroleum (ethylene), and is supplied as the sodium salt.

CosIng definition: Sulfonic acids, C14-18-alkane hydroxy and C14-18-alkene, sodium salts

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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.
2SODIUM C14-18 OLEFIN SULFONATE. CosIng — European Commission cosmetic ingredient database. ec.europa.eu/cosing ↗
3SODIUM C14-18 OLEFIN SULFONATE. CosIng u2014 European Commission database for information on cosmetic substances and ingredients. https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/cosing/search?search=SODIUM%20C14-18%20OLEFIN%20SULFONATE