Colloids and Interfaces (Jan 2021)

Surface Activity of Natural Surfactants Extracted from <i>Sapindus mukorossi</i> and <i>Sapindus trifoliatus</i> Soapnuts

  • Patrycja Wojtoń,
  • Magdalena Szaniawska,
  • Lucyna Hołysz,
  • Reinhard Miller,
  • Aleksandra Szcześ

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/colloids5010007
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 5, no. 1
p. 7

Abstract

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Surfactants derived from renewable sources such as plants are an ecological alternative to synthetic surfactants. Aqueous solutions of natural surfactants extracted from soapnuts obtained from two plants, Sapindus mukorossi and Sapindus trifoliatus, were studied. Their properties in terms of surface tension reduction and wettability were examinated. The natural surfactants show the ability to reduce the surface tension and increase the wettability of the hydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene surface. These nuts can be used repeatedly for washing also in hard water. Crude extracts from Sp. trifoliatus exhibit better surface properties than those from Sp. mukorossi. This makes these soapnuts a good potential source of biosurfactants for household use.

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