Say Hello to Microplastic-Free Opacifiers with Miracare® OPR-2 & Miracare® Biopacify

Tighter microplastics regulations and growing consumer demand for cleaner, greener ingredients are two pressing issues hitting both the personal and homecare industries right now. So how can formulators adapt to these requirements, ensuring they remain responsible, eco-conscious and compliant with regulation changes without jeopardising product performance? Syensqo’s Miracare® range is your answer!Continue reading

Understanding EURECO™: Chemistry and Product Formats

EURECO™ PAP is chemically known as Phthalimido peroxy hexanoic acid. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a “bleach activator” but a true peroxy bleach. Find out more about EURECO™ PAP in this handy guide by Norman Lowe, Senior Technical Consultant at HARKE UK & Ireland.

 

EURECO™ Grades

EURECO™ PAP is available in multiple formats:

  • EURECO™ LX5: 5% dispersion of PAP in water, pH-buffered with HEDPA (1,Hydroxyethylidene-1,1 Diphosphonic acid or Etidronic Acid) and thickened with Xanthan Gum
  • EURECO™ LX10: 10% PAP dispersion (same formulation as LX5)
  • EURECO™ LX17: 17% PAP dispersion (same formulation as LX5)
  • EURECO™ RP103: Coated granular PAP (approx. 60%) for laundry powders, auto dishwash tablets, and stain-removing bleach boosters
  • EURECO™ WM1: Powdered PAP, available under special arrangements
  • EURECO™ HC P11: Powdered PAP/Cyclodextrin complex for oral care
  • EURECO™ HC L17: 17% PAP dispersion specifically for oral care

 

How EURECO™ Works

In its liquid forms, EURECO™ is a suspension of PAP in water at a pH of 3.5. At this pH, PAP is insoluble and stable, yet still active.

To activate it fully, the pH must be raised. PAP becomes soluble and functions as an effective bleach and bactericide. However, it also begins to degrade in solution, making pre-mixed formulations unstable. Therefore, liquid grades must be dispensed at the point of use, primarily in industrial settings. EURECO™ RP103, as a coated granule, is stable and suited for incorporation into retail and commercial formulations like laundry powders, stain removers and auto dishwash powders/tablets.

 

EURECO™ Applications

1. Laundry

  • EURECO™ LX5: Ideal for retail and small-scale professional settings (e.g. nursing homes) – supplied in 1L packs
  • EURECO™ LX10 & EURECO™ LX17: Used in industrial laundries, dosed during wash cycles
  • EURECO™ RP103: Used in retail laundry detergents and stain removers

2. Auto Dishwashing

  • EURECO™ LX17: Dosed into industrial dishwashers
  • EURECO™ RP103: Incorporated into household dishwashing tablets and powders

3. Surface Disinfection

  • Used in spray disinfectants and wash-down products
  • Effective against bacteria, fungi, and viruses
  • Also functions as a deodoriser and surface bleach (EURECO™ LX5 can be used neat for kitchen/bathroom cleaning)

4. Oral Care

  • Removes stains like tea, coffee, and red wine
  • Two available formats:
    • EURECO™ HC P11: Powdered with Cyclodextrin
    • EURECO™ HC L17: 17% liquid dispersion (citric acid used instead of HEDPA)
  • INCI Names:
    • Powder: Phthalimido peroxy caproic acid + Cyclodextrin
    • Liquid: Phthalimido peroxy caproic acid

5. Cosmetics

  • Used in tooth whitening products (replaces hydrogen peroxide)
  • Can potentially be used in other cosmetics (like syndets and lotions for skin care) as an anti-acne, sebum balancing and skin de-spotting agent

 

EURECO™ Usage Guidelines

Recommended pH Ranges

  • Laundry applications: Optimal pH = 7–9. Higher pH (>9) leads to charge repulsion from fabric fibres, reducing efficacy.
  • Hard surface cleaning: Acceptable pH ~11 (no fibre repulsion).

Dosage for Laundry

(EURECO™ LX17, Textile:Bath Ratio = 1:4)

Fabric Type Main Wash (g/kg) Main Wash (g/L) Rinse (g/kg) Rinse (g/L)
Low Stained 4.0–7.0 1.0–1.8 2.0–5.0 0.6–1.3
Normal Stained 7.0–10 1.7–2.5 5.0–8.0 1.2–2.1
Heavily Stained 10–16 2.8–4.2 8.0–10 2.1–3.2

Domestic Machines

(EURECO™ RP103, 9L Wash Volume)

Staining Level PAP (ppm) RP103 (g/wash)
Normal 100 1.45
Heavily Stained 200 2.9

Auto Dishwashing

  • EURECO™ can replace 10–15% TAED/percarbonate systems with just ~5% RP103, reducing chemical load and inventory

Enzyme Compatibility

  • EURECO™ is enzyme-friendly, with no negative effects observed

Disinfection Use Levels

  • Effective at 600–1000 ppm (based on EN test protocols)
  • Performs well at 30–40°C, reducing energy needs compared to >60°C for TAED/percarbonate systems

 

Key Benefits of EURECO™

  • Non-toxic and biodegradable
  • Safe for human and cosmetic use
  • Registered under BPR and COSing
  • Effective bleach at low temperature
  • Broad-spectrum disinfectant
  • Reduces textile wear and dye loss
  • Compatible with enzymes
  • VOC-free, chlorine-free, hydrogen peroxide-free
  • Pumpable liquid and stable powder formats
  • Requires fewer caustic chemicals
  • Lower energy usage

 

Regulatory Status of EURECO™

  • Listed under Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR), Article 95 (Product Types 1 & 2)
  • Registered on COSing: Phthalimido peroxycaproic acid

 

Next Steps

EURECO™ delivers safety, sustainability, and superior performance across cleaning and cosmetic applications. For further information or specific data requests, get in touch with our experienced technical team – we’d be happy to talk to you.

 

Unlocking Nature’s Potential: Miracare® Biopacify from Syensqo

In homecare products, opacifiers are essential for achieving a uniform, luxurious appearance that enhances consumer appeal. Traditionally, styrene acrylate copolymers have been used for this purpose, but growing demand has seen a shift towards more sustainable alternatives. Enter Syensqo’s Miracare® Biopacify! A natural and readily biodegradable opacifier designed to replace traditional options. In this blog, we’ll explore Miracare® Biopacify in more detail, including how it performs compared with conventional opacifiers, and how it’s poised to transform the industry by offering a greener, high-quality solution.Continue reading

Syensqo: Tackling Climate Change

Climate change is a global emergency that’s affecting everyone – every individual, community, country and organisation. It’s therefore absolutely vital that we all continue to work together to collectively reduce our environmental impact as much as possible. 

Many organisations are already working hard to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, and for personal care formulators to achieve this goal they need to review each product’s entire lifecycle: looking at how their ingredients are sourced, how the product is manufactured and distributed, how it’s used by the consumer and finally how it’s disposed. 

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Soluble packaging: Your Questions Answered

For some time, the laundry detergent industry has shifted towards water-soluble pods/sachets as concentrated products, replacing traditional powders, liquids, and blocks. These products are available in single or multi-pocket formats. More recently, auto dishwash products have also moved towards multi-pocket pods, while hard surface cleaning sprays and disinfectant sprays have adopted concentrated powder or liquid pods that are diluted at the point of use in pump spray bottles.

We at Chemlink Harke Group are now exploring the use of soluble packaging in their rinse-off and leave-on cosmetic products, which represents a significant area of development. This opens up countless possibilities for joint collaboration with cosmetic brands to expand the application of this technology.

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