Abstract
In order to develop models that can predict the environmental behavior and effects of chemicals, reliable experimental data are needed. However, for anionic surfactants the number of ecotoxicity studies is still limited. The present study therefore aimed to determine the aquatic ecotoxicity of three classes of anionic surfactants. To this purpose we subjected daphnids (Daphnia magna) for 48 h to alkyl carboxylates (CxCO2−), alkyl sulfonates (CxSO3−), and alkyl sulfates (CxSO4−) with different carbon chain lengths (x). However, all surfactants with x > 11 showed less than 50% immobility at water solubility. Hence, EC50 values for only few surfactants could be gathered: C9CO2− (16 mg L−1), C11CO2− (0.8 mg L−1) and C11SO4− (13.5 mg L−1). Data from these compounds showed an increase in ecotoxicity with a factor 4.5 per addition of a hydrocarbon unit to the alkyl chain, and a factor 20 when replacing the sulfate head group by a carboxylate head group. Unfortunately, we could not test carboxylates with a broader variety of chain lengths because solubility limited the range of chain length that can be tested.
Highlights
Numerous new organic chemicals are produced yearly for application in industry and consumer products (CEFIC 2014)
Bioavailability of anionic surfactants is influenced by the electrostatic characteristics of the head group, which can result in ion-pairing with divalent inorganic cations (e.g., C a2+ or M g2+) (Rodriguez et al 2001; Yan et al 2010)
Since experimental data for anionic surfactants is still much needed, the aim of the present study was to employ the standardized D. magna ecotoxicity test to determine the aquatic ecotoxicity of three classes of anionic surfactants: alkyl carboxylates, alkyl sulfonates, and alkyl sulfates
Summary
Numerous new organic chemicals are produced yearly for application in industry and consumer products (CEFIC 2014). Anionic surfactants are high production volume chemicals which are present in many consumer products and in the environment (Sanderson et al 2006; CEFIC 2014). Their amphiphilic and electrostatic properties make them very efficient compounds for the detergent industry. The ecotoxicity of organic compounds (quantified by the concentration causing a 50% effect; E C50 value) is usually determined in standardized Daphnia magna acute ecotoxicity tests according to OECD guideline 202 (OECD 2004). Since experimental data for anionic surfactants is still much needed, the aim of the present study was to employ the standardized D. magna ecotoxicity test to determine the aquatic ecotoxicity of three classes of anionic surfactants: alkyl carboxylates, alkyl sulfonates, and alkyl sulfates
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