J. Cosmet. Sci., 72, 91–98 (January/February 2021) 91 Fate of Alkyl Polyglucosides in the Environment RACHNA RASTOGI , Research and Development, Bregma Science LLP, Bangalore 560098, India (R.R.) Accepted for publication August 17, 2020. Synopsis Alkyl polyglucosides (APGs) belong to the class of green or natural surfactants synthesized from fatty acids and sugars. Growing concerns on toxicity of sulfates and ethoxylates has led to their popularity in personal and home care products. Increasing usage has resulted in higher concentrations in discharge sites or wastewater treatment plants. Studies show that APGs are readily biodegradable in laboratory settings however, limited data are available on their effects on the environment. In this focused review, we discuss their biodegradation profi le and toxicity of the parent compounds and metabolites in aquatic systems. INTRODUCTION With the increasing demand for natural and organic formulations, use of green surfactants is also on the rise. One such class of compounds, alkyl polyglucosides (APGs), derived from sugars (glucose) and long-chain fatty acids (coconut/palm), is now gaining traction because of easy availability, improved production methods, lower cost, and excellent skin compatibility as a replacement to conventional surfactants. APGs are also approved for use by ECOCERT, France, International Organic and Natural Cosmetics Corporation GmbH, BDIH, Germany, and COSMOS, Europe (1–4). Recently, APGs have also found applications in home care and institutional products because of their good cleaning abil- ities, a category dominated by ethoxylated and sulfated surfactants. Apart from their use in cleansing applications, APGs are also being used as emulsifi ers in skin care products and stabilizers in drug delivery (3). Thus, as their usage increases, there is a renewed in- terest in understanding their impact on the environment. Personal care and cleaning products post-use end up in wastewater treatment plants or directly let out into aquatic zones where decontamination facilities are not available. Because of their higher consumption, surfactants and their degradation products have been detected at various concentrations in surface waters, sediments, and sludge-amended soils (5). Because of their dissolution capability, surfactants tend to accumulate at the interfaces and can be toxic to the microbiota. If tolerated or after an acclimatization period, surfactants undergo biotransformation leading to loss of their surface activity. Address all correspondence to bregmascience@gmail.com.