Biodegradability nonionic surfactants

Also called nonyl phenoxy ethoxylate, or nonyl phenol. Slow to biodegrade. Nonionic surfactant. Used in dry detergents. 

Static die-away tests were performed by Potter et al. with an A9PEO7 24 mixture in water from a vertically well-mixed estuary in Florida [36]. Lag times of 0—12 days were observed, and after 4—24 days, primary degradation was complete. These rates are similar to those reported by Kvestak and Ahel [6]. It is likely that the microorganisms in these experiments were pre-acclimated to biodegrade nonionic surfactants, as a municipal sewage treatment plant discharge is present a few kilometres upstream. 

NONIONIC A is a 100% active, biodegradable nonionic surfactant for general purpose use. 

An example of a successful esterification reaction on industrial scale is shown in Scheme 3.1. 6-0-Acyl derivatives of alkyl glucopyranosides, which are used as fully biodegradable nonionic surfactants in cosmetics [142], were synthesized from fatty acids and the corresponding l-O-aUcyl glucopyranosides under catalysis of thermostable Candida antarctica lipase B in the absence of solvents [137]. In order to drive the reaction towards completion, the water produced during the reaction was evaporated at elevated temperature and reduced pressure (70°C, 0.01 bar). 

Uniquely high-melting biodegradable nonionic surfactant with excellent surface-active properties. 

Chemical Company (www.dow.com) is producing its bio-based biodegradable, nonionic surfactants for household, industrial and institutional cleaners and textiles under the trademark EcosurFM, There are many other examples. 

VoUcering F, AM Breure, JG van Andel, WH Rulkens (1995) Influence of nonionic surfactants on bioavailability and biodegradation of polycyclic hydrocarbons. Appl Environ Microbiol 61 1699-1705. 

Nonionic Surfactants, edited by Martin J. Schick see aiso Voiumes 19, 23, and 60) Soivent Properties of Surfactant Soiutions, edited by Kozo Shinoda (see Voiume 55) Surfactant Biodegradation, R. D. Swisher see Voiume 18)... 

Surfactant Biodegradation Second Edition, Revised and Expanded, R. D. Swisher Nonionic Surfactants Chemical Analysis, edited by John Cross Detergency Theory and Technology, edited by W. Gaie Cutier and Erik Kissa Interfacial Phenomena in Apolar Media, edited by Hans-Friedrich Eicke and Geoffrey... 

Corti A, Frassinetti S, Vallini G, D Antone S, Fichi C, Solaro R (1995) Biodegradation of nonionic surfactants. I. Biotransformation of 4-(l-nonyl)phenol by a Candida maltosa isolate. Environ Pollut 90 83-87... 

Guha, S. and Jaffe, P. R. (1996). Biodegradation kinetics of phenanthrene partitioned into the micellar phase of nonionic surfactants, Environ. Sci. Technol., 30, 605 611. 

Nonionic surfactants of general structure 176, used in off-shore drilling (e.g. Nonidet AT 85), are toxic and slowly biodegradable. They can be determined in an FIA system by... 

Nonionic surfactants contain (Fig. 23) no ionic functionalities, as their name implies, and include ethylene oxide adducts (EOA) of alkylphenols and fatty alcohols. Production of detergent chain-length fatty alcohols from both natural and petrochemical precursors has now increased with the usage of alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEO) for some applications. This is environmentally less acceptable because of the slower rate of biodegradation and concern regarding the toxicity of phenolic residues [342]. 

Nonionic surfactants, as mentioned previously, have been widely adopted due to their characteristics and properties and, in particular, because they do not require the presence of undesirable phosphate or caustic builders in detergent formulation. However, the relatively lesser degree of biodegradability is an important disadvantage of the nonionic surfactants compared to the ionic ones. Adsorption on activated carbon and various types of clay particles is, therefore, one of the processes that has been effective in removing heterodisperse nonionic... 

This paper will review the biodegradation of nonionic surfactants. The major focus will be on alcohol ethoxylates and alkylphenol ethoxylates—the two largest volume nonionics. In this paper the effect of hydrophobe structure will be discussed, since hydrophobe structure is considered more critical than that of the hydrophile in biodegradability of the largest volume nonionics. The influence of the hydrophobe on the biodegradation pathway will be examined with an emphasis on the use of radiolabeled nonionics. 

Figure 7. Ultimate biodegradation of nonionic surfactants by CO2 evolution.

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