Introduction to surfactant biodegradation

Laundry Detergents, 4. Ecology and Toxicology

“…Table 8 gives an over- Vol. 20 Laundry Detergents, 4. Ecology and Toxicologyview of some ecotoxicological standard data of surfactants used for their evaluation according to the EU classification ''dangerous for the environment'' [38].…”

“…Extensive contact with concentrated solutions can cause irritation to the skin and mucous membranes, but this is a consequence of alkalinity rather than a Vol. 20 Laundry Detergents, 4. Ecology and Toxicologyspecific effect of the substances themselves.…”

“…Although not all anionic and nonionic surfactants can be analytically measured by the MBAS and BiAS method [20], these parameters are used for the evaluation of the biodegradability according to the legal requirements. Essentially, the percentage of MBAS or BiAS loss describes the disappearance of a specific analytical reaction of the parent surfactant.…”

Surfactants Containing Hydrolyzable Bonds

“…In sewage treatment plants chemicals are exposed to aerobic biodegradation, which also applies when chemicals are released into natural waters [9]. Therefore, most biodegradation test methods for surfactants are based on aerobic conditions.…”

Biodegradation of polyalcohol ethoxylate by a wastewater microbial consortium

“…Surfactants are complex organic compounds that are ubiquitous in municipal wastewater due to their presence in household cleaning and personal hygiene products. Polyalcohol ethoxylate (PAE), an anionic surfactant, is one of the six surfactants that make up 60% of total consumption (Brown 1995). PAE is the most common active ingredient in both dish wash and laundry detergents (Lange 1999), accounting for its high use rate of 0.5 million tons per year (Brown 1995).…”