Abstract
Surface active material has been analyzed in samples of different freshwater systems: river water, groundwater and tap water, by electrochemical methods based on the measurement of the adsorption effects at the mercury electrode. Two electrochemical methods were used: the measurement of the suppression of the polarographic maxima and a.c. polarography. A rough characterization of predominant surface active compounds was performed through a comparison of the shape and the intensity of the electrochemical responses with those obtained with different model surfactants. It was found that humic substances represent predominant surface active substances in freshwater systems. The total surfactant activity corresponds to approx. 0.5–20 mg dm −3 of humic substances. Anionic detergents were analyzed by the spectrophotometric methylene blue method. The highest values (100–300 μg dm −3) were found in river water samples which were taken downstream from the city location. The total surfactant activity values of river water samples as measured by the electrochemical methods were only exceptionally influenced by the presence of detergents.
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