As other cleaning materials, detergents is the result of technological advances that utilize chemical byproduct of
petroleum refining, coupled with other chemicals such as phosphates, silicates, dye and fragrance ingredients.
circa 1960s, early generation detergent appeared using surface activating chemicals (surfactants) Alkyl Benzene
Sulfonate (ABS) which is able to produce foam. However, due to the nature of ABS that is easily decomposed by
microorganisms in the soil surface, eventually replaced with a compound of Linear Alkyl Sulfonate (LAS) which is
believed to be relatively more environmentally friendly. In many countries in the world have banned the use of
ABS and replaced with LAS. While in Indonesia, the regulations on the prohibition of the use of ABS yet. Some of
the reasons are still used ABS in detergent, among other things because it's cheap, its stability in a cream / pasta
and abundant foam. In conventional wastewater treatment, ABS is not biodegradable, approximately 50% of
active ingredient and processing ABS escaped into the exhaust system. This can cause problems on the aquatic
toxicity and degradation of water quality. LAS has better characteristics, though not yet be said to be
environmentally friendly. LAS alkyl group having a straight / unbranched which can be easily decomposed by
microorganisms. Surfactant ABS with branched alkyl chains, are not biodegradable, whereas LAS surfactant, a
straight chain alkyl which has led to the surfactant can be degraded by microorganisms and reducing the
environmental issues .. The results showed that the EC50 values for LAS is 14.83 mg / L and for ABS is 11.75 mg
/ l, LAS culture growth rate is 14 ppm and 10 ppm for ABS is. Compared with LAS, ABS has a greater impact
toksiksitas.
Keywords: Linear Alkyl Benzene Sulfonate (LAS), Alkyl Benzene Sulfonate (ABS)