A life cycle analysis (LCA) of AmphiCare and AmphiClean has demonstrated that AmphiStar’s biosurfactant production has less environmental impact and increased health advantages than other production methods. Surfactants help reduce the surface tension between two substances, like water and oil, allowing for better mixing and cleaning. In the personal care industry, surfactants are found in shampoos, body washes, and facial cleansers. To make the ingredients more ecological, companies have been switching to biosurfactants — however, they also pose environmental complications.“The shift toward bio-based surfactants, intended to replace petroleum-derived alternatives, presents a complex environmental trade-off. Many bio-based products rely on virgin crops such as palm oil and sugar, which are cultivated specifically as feedstocks,” Sofie Loden, product and project manager at AmphiStar tells Personal Care Insights.
