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CarCareTruth

Sodium C10-13 Alkylbenzenesulfonate (LAS)

  • Anionic surfactants
  • CAS 68411-30-3
  • IUPAC: Benzenesulfonic acid, C10-13-alkyl derivs., sodium salts

Sodium C10-13 Alkylbenzenesulfonate (LAS) (CAS 68411-30-3) appears in 1 of the 2,122 car-care products CarCareTruth tracks (as of August 2026). It is readily biodegradable.

Acute Tox. 4 (H302, harmful if swallowed), Skin Irrit. 2 (H315), and Eye Dam. 1 (H318) at ingredient level per SDS Section 3, at a disclosed 1-<2% concentration in this formula. Not elevated to the mixture-level Section 2 classification at this concentration. No Prop 65 listing, no asthmagen classification.

What it is

Sodium C10-13 alkylbenzenesulfonate is a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS), one of the most widely produced anionic surfactant classes in consumer and industrial cleaning products. It provides detergency, wetting, and soil-emulsification action in water-based formulas.

Where it appears in car care

LAS surfactants are common secondary or supporting surfactants in car-wash shampoos and pre-wash snow foams, typically blended alongside a primary surfactant (such as an olefin sulfonate) to broaden cleaning performance and foam character.

Environmental note

LAS is readily biodegradable in wastewater treatment, which limits its long-term environmental persistence. Its main environmental flag is an ingredient-level chronic aquatic toxicity classification (H412); at the low disclosed concentration in a finished pre-wash product, and given ready biodegradability, the practical loading per application is modest, but the classification still contributes to a formula's aquatic-toxicity profile.

Health & environment profile

VOC
no
Prop 65 listed
no
Asthmagen
no
EPA Safer Choice
no
Aquatic toxicity
yes
Biodegradable
yes
Bioaccumulative
no
Persistent
no
Ozone depleting
no
Microplastic
no
PFAS
no
Env. score
4/5
Purpose: Anionic surfactant providing detergency and soil emulsification in water-based cleaning formulations

Common questions about Sodium C10-13 Alkylbenzenesulfonate (LAS)

What is Sodium C10-13 Alkylbenzenesulfonate (LAS) used for in car care?
Anionic surfactant providing detergency and soil emulsification in water-based cleaning formulations
Is Sodium C10-13 Alkylbenzenesulfonate (LAS) a VOC?
No. Sodium C10-13 Alkylbenzenesulfonate (LAS) is not classified as a volatile organic compound (VOC).
Is Sodium C10-13 Alkylbenzenesulfonate (LAS) on California's Proposition 65 list?
No. Sodium C10-13 Alkylbenzenesulfonate (LAS) is not on California's Proposition 65 list.
Is Sodium C10-13 Alkylbenzenesulfonate (LAS) biodegradable?
Yes. Sodium C10-13 Alkylbenzenesulfonate (LAS) has a confirmed biodegradable profile.

1 product contain this

Related

Health and environment notes translate the manufacturer Safety Data Sheet, the GHS classification, and authoritative regulatory listings (California Prop 65, EPA). Not medical advice. They describe the ingredient itself; whether a hazard applies to a finished product depends on its concentration and how it's used.