US scientists develop new eco-cleaning material

Published: 25-Apr-2007


Scientists in the US's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have developed a new green biodegradable detergent additive called a cobuilder which prevents scale deposits.

Cobuilder is derived from cornstarch as opposed to the current anti-scale solution made from petroleum-derived polyacrylic acid.

ARS scientists Randy Shogren and Julious Willett researched ways to make a scale-fighting agent that would be degradable by microbes in soil and water. That led to their using citric acid and sorbitol with a heat-based method of fusing them to form polyester-based cobuilders.

Adding the polyester-based cobuilder to a solution of calcium carbonate staved off crystal formation for 10 minutes. Although less polyacrylic acid was needed to do the same, it lacked the biodegradability of the polyester-based cobuilder.

The citric acid and sorbitol content also avoids the use of costly solvents that will allow the product to be sold to smaller markets such as cleaning companies and hygiene departments.

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