Removal of anionic and nonionic surfactants in a wastewater treatment plant with anaerobic digestion. A comparative study

Determination and occurrence of secondary alkane sulfonates (SAS) in aquatic environments

“…5). According to prior studies (Prats et al, 1997;Bruno et al, 2002), concentration of SAS and other anionic surfactants such as LAS in sludges remain stable even after anaerobic digestion. Fig.…”

“…In spite of the efficiency of WWTP removing surfactants from wastewater, significant concentrations of these compounds can be measured in many surface water, sediment and suspended solid samples (Prats et al, 1997;Di Corcia, 1998;Matthijs et al, 1999;Morrall et al, 2006). So far, most of the effort has been put into understanding the distribution and environmental behavior of two surfactants: linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) and nonylphenol polyethoxylates (NPEO).…”

Analysis of Surfactants in Environmental Samples by Chromatographic Techniques

“…Once used, the major fraction of synthetic surfactants are disposed down the drain to sewers, where it has been estimated that 50% by volume is degraded, 25% sorpted to suspended solids and 25% dissolved [14,15]. Later, these chemicals are commonly removed between 81 and 99.9% in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) [16][17][18], although they are frequently detected in sewage effluents showing concentrations up to 872 µg/L for LAS [16], between 0.24 and 3 µg/L for AES [19], up to 4 µg/L for QACs [20], and from 0.2 to 23 µg/L for AEOs and APEOs [21,22].…”

Anaerobic removal of linear alcohol ethoxylates

“…Many recalcitrant organic compounds, including some aromatic non-ionic surfactants, may be transformed by anaerobic co-metabolism with the addition of an easily degradable co-substrate acting as a carbon and energy source for microbial growth and maintenance and as an inducer of many co-metabolic enzymes and co-factors (Reynolds et al, 1997;Prats et al, 1997;Speece, 1996;Cheng et al, 1996Cheng et al, , 1997.…”