Detergents biodegradability

Fig. 4. Detergency, biodegradability and fish toxicity of linear alkylbenzenesulfonates (LAS)...

Linear paraffins in the C q to range are used for the production of alcohols and plasticizers and biodegradable detergents of the linear alkylbenzene sulfonate and nonionic types (see Alcohols Plasticizers Surfactants). Here the UOP Molex process is used to extract / -paraffins from a hydrotreated kerosine (6—8). 

Natural Waters. Many water systems have a natural tendency to produce foam upon agitation. The presence of poUutants exacerbates this problem. This was particularly severe when detergents contained surfactants that were resistant to biodegradation. Then, water near industrial sites or sewage disposal plants could be covered with a blanket of stable, standing foam (52,59). However, surfactant use has switched to biodegradable molecules, which has gready reduced the incidence of these problems. 

There are numerous further appHcations for which maleic anhydride serves as a raw material. These appHcations prove the versatiHty of this molecule. The popular artificial sweetener aspartame [22839-47-0] is a dipeptide with one amino acid (l-aspartic acid [56-84-8]) which is produced from maleic anhydride as the starting material. Processes have been reported for production of poly(aspartic acid) [26063-13-8] (184—186) with appHcations for this biodegradable polymer aimed at detergent builders, water treatment, and poly(acryHc acid) [9003-01-4] replacement (184,187,188) (see Detergency). 

The normal paraffins produced are raw materials for the manufacture of biodegradable detergents, plasticizers, alcohols, and synthetic proteins. Removal of the / -paraffins upgrades gasoline by improving the octane rating. 

Biodegradation results from the pH drop such a detergent polymer experiences as it leaves the alkaline laundry environment (pH ca 10) and enters the sewage or ground water environment (pH close to neutral) the polymer (now a polyacid rather than a salt) is unstable and hydrolyzes to monomer which rapidly biodegrades. The chemistry has been reported ia many patents (186) and several pubHcations (187,188). 

Similar polyacetals were prepared by BASF scientists from CO-aldehydic aUphatic carboxyUc acids (189,190) and by the addition of poly(hydroxycarboxyhc acid)s such as tartaric acid to divinyl ethers (191) as biodegradable detergent polymers. 

W. McGucken, Biodegradable Detergents and the Environment, Texas A and M University Press, College Station, 1994. 

B. V. Vora, P. R. Pujado, M. A. Allawala, and T. R. Fritsch, "Production of Biodegradable Detergent Intermediates," Second World Surfactants Congress, Paris, Fiance, May 24—27, 1988. 

Detergents. The most widely used surfactant in synthetic detergents is the readily biodegradable linear alkyl sulfonate (LAS). Since the... 

Sulfonation of these compounds produces linear alkane sulfonates (LAS) which are used as biodegradable detergents. 

Sorbitol is the most important higher polyol used in direct esterification of fatty acids. Esters of sorbitans and sorbitans modified with ethylene oxide are extensively used as surface-active agents. Interesteritication of fatty acid methyl esters with sucrose yields biodegradable detergents, and with starch yields thermoplastic polymers (36). 

Poly(malic acid) is of pharmaceutical interest because its chemical derivatives may harbor both tissue-specific homing molecules and therapeutic effectors to be used for tissue (tumor) targeting in chemotherapy [2]. Because of its efficient production by fermentation, its biodegradability and nontoxicity, it is also considered as raw material in the industrial production of detergents, glues, and plastic materials. 

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