INTERNATIONAL

Detergent chemicals: boom in Europe Use of petrochemical components and intermediates, led by linear alkylbenzenes, may grow 300% by 1980

Demand for petrochemical components and intermediates for synthetic deter­gents is heading for rapid growth in western and eastern Europe during the next decade. For example, use of linear alkylbenzenes and synthetic fatty alcohols will increase 200 to 300% by 1980, according to projec­tions made by Romeo Cociancich, of Societa Italiana Résine, Milan, and Janos Vad, of United Chemical Works, Budapest, Hungary.

At the same time, annual consump­tion of household and industrial de­tergents in Europe will about double to 8.35 million metric tons by 1980, Mr. Cociancich told a meeting of the European Chemical Marketing Re­search Association in Budapest. More rapid gains in detergent use will occur in Comecon countries (Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Mon­golia, Poland, Romania, and the U.S.S.R.), he adds. Demand for syn­thetic detergents in these countries will climb to about 3.35 million metric tons in 1980 from 1.24 million metric tons this year. At the same time, use of soap will continue to decline steadily throughout Europe from 2.34 million metric tons this year to 1.65 million metric tons in 1980.

Transition. As detergent use in­creases, however, pollution worries are forcing a gradual transition to use

of biodegradable detergents. In west­ern Europe, for instance, a swing to biodegradable products based on linear alkylbenzene derivatives is strength­ened by recent decisions by Italy and France to ban sales of nonbiodegrad­able detergents (C&EN, Oct. 12, page 21). Only a few West European countries now lack some kind of policy restricting use of nonbiodegradable de­tergents based on dodecylbenzene. West Germany and Spain already have laws banning such products. Most other countries have voluntary agree­ments whereby producers make mostly biodegradable products.

Linear alkylbenzenes will likely re­tain their position as the largest-vol­ume petrochemical intermediate for making ionic detergents. (Nonionic detergents account for only a small portion of total detergent sales.) Total European demand for the intermediate will increase to 838,000 metric tons by the end of this decade from 331,000 metric tons this year, Mr. Cociancich forecasts. Comecon countries, which account for 62,000 metric tons of total consumption this year, will account for 215,000 metric tons in 1980.

Decrease. Meanwhile, as use of nonbiodegradable detergents declines, European demand for dodecylbenzene will gradually decrease from 154,000 metric tons this year (Comecon coun-

Comecon countries to take growing share of Europe's detergents, detergent chemicals

Demand, thousands of metric

1970 1975

Total Europe

Comecon coun­tries

Total Europe

Comecon coun­tries

tons per year

1980 Comecon

Total coun-Europe tries

Synthetic detergents 4476 1236 6282 2232 8350 3350

Major detergent petrochemicals Linear alkylbenzenes Dad ecyf be rizerie Synthetic fatty alcohols Alpha olefins Ethylene oxide for

ethoxylates 180 Sources: Societa italiana Résine, United Chemical Works (Budapest)

331 154

6a 63

62 20 13 3

661 18 140 95

165 15 45 10

838 0

255 150

215 0 95 30

m 310 100 460 150

tries account for less than 15% of this) until the demand disappears in western Europe by 1975 and in the rest of Europe by 1980, the forecasts made by Mr. Cociancich and Mr. Vad indicate.

Rapidly growing demand for bio­degradable detergents also boosts the market outlook for other intermediates, such as synthetic fatty alcohols and alpha olefins, used to make surface-active agents. Mr. Cociancich says that demand for synthetic fatty alco­hols will almost quadruple from 68,-000 metric tons this year to 255,000 metric tons in 1980. Comecon coun­tries' share of this demand will total 95,000 metric tons in 1980, he says, up from about 13,000 metric tons this year.

Consumption of alpha olefins will show similar gains. West European demand of 60,000 metric tons this year will reach 120,000 metric tons by 1980, Mr. Cociancich and Mr. Vad estimate. The current demand in Comecon countries of 3000 metric tons a year will grow 10-fold during the 1970's, they say. Sulfonated alpha olefins impart high solubility, oxida­tive and thermal stability, and a high degree of biodegradability to deter­gents. However, low-volume produc­tion of alpha olefins leads to high prices ($500 to $600 per metric ton), and producers may need to use the alpha olefins made from cracked paraf­fins in linear alkylbenzene processes. In addition, alpha olefins can be made by cracking paraffin wax, and from ethylene, using Ziegler-type re­actions.

Nonionics. The competitive posi­tion of nonionic surfactants, based on fatty alcohols and fatty acids and also on ethylene oxide, is getting a boost from the economies available from large petrochemical plants. The large plants needed to meet total European ethylene oxide demand of 950,000 metric tons this year offer ethylene oxide at favorable prices. Ethoxylates for surfactants account for about 19% of the total ethylene oxide demand in Europe. In western Europe ethoxy­lates will push detergent industry ethylene oxide demand from 130,000 metric tons this year to 310,000 metric tons in 1980. Meanwhile, East European consumption will grow from 50,000 metric tons this year to 150,000 metric tons in 1980.

In general, linear alkylbenzenes will remain the basic raw material and workhorse of detergents for many years, and certainly until the 1980's, Mr. Cociancich says. But the general forecasts are based on steady develop­ment of production and markets and could be affected by the demands of new textiles and new technology, he adds.

28 C&EN NOV. 16, 1970