Bulk supply · Surfactants & Oleochemicals
LABSA 90% — linear alkyl benzene sulphonic acid, the primary anionic surfactant in Indian detergent manufacture — in 225 kg drums and IBCs. Price on request.
Also searched as: acid slurry, acid slurry price, LABSA price, LABSA chemical, linear alkyl benzene sulphonic acid, LABSA 90
What we supply
LABSA is the backbone of detergent manufacture in India. Neutralised with caustic soda it becomes sodium linear alkyl benzene sulphonate, the primary anionic surfactant in detergent powder, dishwash liquid and floor cleaner. Almost every detergent plant in the country buys it, which is why it is often just called acid slurry.
Velora supplies 90% active material in 225 kg drums and IBCs. The commercial trade questions are active content, colour and free oil — and those we confirm against the source before quoting rather than after.
Grades & packing
These are the formats we most commonly supply. Other concentrations, packing sizes and pack marking are available — ask at the enquiry stage.
| Product | Formula | Grade | HSN | Packing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LABSA | C₁₈H₃₀O₃S | 90% linear alkyl benzene sulphonic acid | 3402 31 00 | 225 kg drum · IBC |
No tested values are published here. The certificate of analysis for the batch actually loaded travels with the despatch documents, and a representative COA and the safety data sheet go out before any commercial discussion.
Applications
Primary surfactant, neutralised in the slurry before spray drying.
Main active in hand dishwash formulations.
Anionic surfactant in laundry liquids.
Detergency in institutional and household cleaners.
Degreasing and cleaning formulations.
Emulsification in agrochemical and industrial systems.
Handling & storage
Worth reading before you order rather than after. If any of this is a problem at your site, tell us — it usually changes what we would quote.
Price
LABSA is made by sulphonating linear alkyl benzene, so it tracks LAB and through it crude, and the sulphonation step ties it to sulphur as well. Active content is what you are actually buying — a cheaper drum at lower active is often more expensive per unit of surfactant, so compare on active content, not on the drum price. We will quote on that basis if you ask.
Questions
The same thing. Acid slurry is the common trade name for LABSA in the Indian detergent industry — linear alkyl benzene sulphonic acid, usually at 90% active.
Before the stoichiometry, understand that this reaction is strongly exothermic. Add the LABSA slowly into the caustic and water charge — not the other way round — with good agitation and cooling, and hold the batch below about 55 °C. Added fast or without cooling, a plant-scale batch will run away, boil and throw out hot alkaline slurry, and the heat darkens the product as well. Once the temperature is under control, work the quantity from the batch certificate of analysis rather than a rule of thumb — active content and free acid vary, and over-neutralising wastes caustic while under-neutralising leaves free acid in the finished product.
Age and heat. LABSA colour drifts with storage, particularly in a hot store. It is still functional, but if your finished product is colour-sensitive, plan deliveries against consumption and keep the store cool.
LABSA (acid slurry) is quoted per kg or per tonne, landed. It follows linear alkyl benzene feedstock prices, and drums cost more per kg than IBCs. Send quantity and delivery point for a written offer.
We are a bulk supplier, not a sulphonation plant. LABSA is sourced from qualified Indian producers and supplied in drums and IBCs.
The HSN code for LABSA (acid slurry) is 3402 31 00 (Linear alkylbenzene sulphonic acids and their salts). Acid slurry and LABSA are the same product, so the code is the same. Source: the Indian customs tariff as listed in the GST HSN directory, checked September 2026.
Related lines
Sourcing desk
You will get a written offer for labsa with landed price, packing, lead time and a stated validity — not a price that changes on the phone.