Polysorbates (PS):
Polysorbates (or surfactants in general) are commonly added to therapeutics as stabilizers and are classified as excipients. There are two key polysorbates used in our industry:

  • Polysorbate  20: uses Monolaurate as the fatty acid along with sorbitan
  • Polysorbate 80: uses Monooleate as the fatty acid along with sorbitan


Market Dynamics:
Palm oil and coconut oil are key components for polysorbates and are grown primarily in Southeast Asia and West Africa. Palm and coconut oil prices and quality can be quite volatile due to natural disasters, epidemics and political unrest. 

Up Stream Materials/Building Blocks: 

Coconut Oil, Corn, Corn Starch, Cornstarch, Dextrose, Ethylene Oxide, Glucose, Palm Oil, Sorbital

  • Polysorbate  20: Monolaurate, Sorbitan Monolaurate
  • Polysorbate 80: Monooleate, Sorbitan Monoolate 


Down Stream Materials and Applications for Polysorbates:
Various trademarked surfactants/emulsifier

Buffers: TRIS and PBS

Detergents/Soaps

Cosmetics 

Food Ingredients (like ice cream)

Lysing cells

Nanoassemblies

Stabilizer for purified protein derivatives (PPD) and pharmaceuticals

Washing agent (immunoassays, Western blots, ELISAs)

Wetting Agents