the invention is the use and application of a system having a non - toxic and biodegradable surfactant , which is not ethoxylated and is built up from a non - ethoxylated polymerized sugar , for use in the oilfield industry to mitigate the release of toxic chemicals into the environment . where the surfactant system incorporates a non - ethoxylated polymerized sugar for use in downhole and surface applications in the oilfield industry . the use of the non - ethoxylated polymerized sugar allows the creation of surfactants , which are water soluble without any ethylene oxide or propylene oxide groups attached to the main carbon backbone of the molecule . by not ethoxylating and / or propoxylating the alkyl - backbone no 1 , 4 - dioxane is produced as a by - product therefore there are no traces of this molecule in the surfactant produced using the non - ethoxylated polymerized sugar . additionally , these surfactants do not contain nonyl , butyl , or other alkylphenol groups .