ABSTRACT
Fatty materials like oil and fats obtained from renewable sources are the main sources of hydrophobic moiety present in natural surfactants and naturally occurring polar compounds that help to impart polar groups to the molecules. The main active polar ingredients present in renewable raw materials are proteins, amino acids, sugars, terpenes, steroids, alkaloids and flavonoids. Type of hydrophobic chain and variation in the head group present in the molecules of the surfactants enable this class of materials to be used in various commercial applications. Low toxicity and environmental adaptability aid to the superiority of these surfactants over conventionally used petrochemical-based surfactants. Although the higher cost and more complicated procedures are still a challenge to researchers, their eco-friendly and harmless impacts are encouraging more research into designing low-cost natural surfactants.
