PENETRATION OF OCTYLPHENOXY SURFACTANTS THROUGH ISOLATED TOMATO FRUIT CUTICLES

Abstract

Despite the widespread use of surfactants to enhance the performance of foliar applied chemicals, the mechanisms for this enhancement are poorly understood. The penetration of surfactant per se through the cuticular membrane (CM) may play a pivotal role. Thus, we examined CM penetration by octylphenoxy surfactants (Triton X series) using a finite dose (Franz) diffusion cell. The effect of hydrophile length was studied using 14C surfactant (15.9 mm in 20 mm citrate buffer: pH 3.2) with 3, 9.5, 12, 16, and 40 ethylene oxide units per molecule (EO). One 5-μl droplet of surfactant solution was applied to the outer morphological surface of CM enzymatically isolated from mature tomato fruit. The inner CM surface remained in contact with stirred buffer at 25°C. The buffer was sampled periodically through a side portal over 648 h. Penetration curves (time vs. % penetrated) for all surfactants were characterized by three phases: lag, linear, and asymptotic. Lag: There was no effect of EO on the length of the lag phase (average 5 h) Linear: Steady state penetration (0.6 to 1.1% / h) was inversely related to log EO content. Asymptotic: About 70% of applied short EO (3 to 16) surfactants penetrated while 25% of the 40 EO penetrated in 648 h.