# Linear alkylbenzene

Linear alkylbenzene is the oil-derived raw material for LAS, the world's most widely used detergent surfactant, made from kerosene paraffins and benzene.

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lab/

Commodity chemicals · Derivatives & intermediates · No. 45

- Single chemical
- Feedstock: Oil, gas or coal
- about 4.4 Mt a year (2024)
- 1.9 t CO₂e per t
- HS 381700
 Commodity chemicals · Derivatives & intermediates · Foundation · Matter

The cleaning power in most of India's washing powders comes from a kerosene chain bolted onto benzene.

Chart: Illustration: Linear alkylbenzene

##### Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Straight C10-C13 paraffins are sieved out of refinery kerosene, turned into olefins and attached to benzene. By weight LAB is about 70% paraffin chain and 30% benzene.

##### Three things to know

1. About 98% of LAB is turned into LAS, the main cleaning agent in laundry powders, bars and liquids.
2. India's LAB demand was forecast to grow 6% a year from 753 kt in 2020 to about 1,008 kt in 2025.
3. India put anti-dumping duties on LAB from Iran and Qatar for 2025-2030.

##### The journey

1. 1 **Kerosene**4-5 t yields 1 t paraffins
2. 2 **n-Paraffins**Molecular sieves pick straight-chain molecules
3. 3 **Olefins**Dehydrogenated, 10-15% per pass
4. 4 **Alkylation**Joined to benzene over solid acid
5. 5 **LAS**Sulphonated by detergent makers
 Covered in [The chemical industry: what it makes and how it is organisedChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/chem-industry-map/)[From building blocks to plastics, fibres and detergentsChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/building-blocks-to-polymers/)[Soaps, detergents and agrochemicalsChemicals](https://www.materialinsights.org/learn/chemicals/soaps-detergents-agrochemicals/)

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## Other sections

- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lab/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lab/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lab/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lab/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lab/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lab/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lab/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lab/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lab/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lab/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lab/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/lab/links/index.md)