A process for preparing alkyl glyceryl sulfonate includes fractionally distilling an alkyl glyceryl epoxide mixture to afford alkyl glyceryl epoxide of formula IV: where R is a C4-12 alkyl, in at least about 98.0% purity by weight with respect to epoxidized compounds, the epoxidized compounds comprising the alkyl glyceryl epoxide of formula IV, dimer alkyl glyceryl epoxide of formula V, and trimer alkyl glyceryl epoxide of formula VI: where R is a C4-12 alkyl; and reacting the at least about 98.0% alkyl glyceryl epoxide of formula IV with a mixture of an alkali bisulfite and an alkali sulfite in a sulfonation reaction at a temperature, to afford the alkyl glyceryl sulfonate of formula I: where R is a C4-12 alkyl and M is an alkali metal.