Alkylphenol Ethoxylates Research Articles

Molecular Thermodynamics for Aggregation of Surfactants with Alkylbenzene or Branched Alkane Tails: An Experimental-Modeling Approach

This work presents a molecular thermodynamic approach in which microemulsion properties are obtained by minimizing the total Gibbs energy of the system. Notably, this optimization process is carried out mainly based on the surfactant molecular structure and the solution conditions. Even though molecular thermodynamic modeling has been widely applied to oil-in-water (O/W) microemulsions, just a few studies are reported on water-in-oil (W/O) microemulsions mainly focused on ionic surfactants with linear alkyl tails. Here, we investigate the self-aggregation of different non-ionic surfactants with more complex structures acting as hydrophobic tails. In this context, we model the phase behavior of alkylphenol ethoxylate surfactant systems incorporating liquid-vapor and liquid-liquid data of alkylbenzenes from the literature. As a result, we can optimize the model parameters and describe the equilibrium micelle structure. The particle swarm optimization method was applied to minimize the Gibbs free energy for both O/W and W/O microemulsions. In order to evaluate the predictive performance of the model, we compared the experimental data with the computed critical micelle concentration and micelle size.

Синергизм действия в бинарном растворе неионогенного и анионного ПАВ.

Adsorption at the gas —air interface and micelle formation in binary solutions of ethoxylated alkyl phenol (Neonol AF 9-10) and sodium oleate have been studied. The Rubin and Rosen equations were used to determine the interaction parameters and the composition of mixed micelles and adsorption layers depending on the initial solution composition. The authors have found out that the micelles and the adsorption layer at the interface are enriched in a non-ionic component. The maximum synergistic effect during micelle formation was found for solutions containing 20–30 % molar of reagent Neonol AF 9-10, and during adsorption —20 and 50 %.

Sustainable low liquor ratio dyeing of cotton with C.I. Reactive Blue 21 using dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate

Low liquor ratio (material to liquor ratio = 1:5) dyeing of cotton fabric with C.I. Reactive Blue 21 using dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate as a surfactant was thoroughly analyzed. The dye–surfactant interactions in the micelles during low liquor ratio dyeing were investigated by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and the chemical mechanism of the process was evaluated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. Cotton fabric was subjected to low liquor ratio dyeing and conventional dyeing by varying the temperature, pH, treatment time, and non-identical chemical concentration. The effectiveness of the process was assessed based on the color strength ( K/ S), exhaustion (%), fixation (%), and levelness. Low liquor ratio dyeing afforded superior dyeing compared to conventional dyeing, attributed to the anti-agglomeration effects of the former, which also had no adverse impact on the fastness of the dye. The lower environmental impact due to the lower effluent footprint (biological oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, total dissolved solids, and dissolved oxygen) is another benefit of low liquor ratio dyeing. High-pressure liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses revealed that the low liquor ratio dyed fabric is free of toxic substances (alkylphenol ethoxylates and formaldehyde). Moreover, low liquor ratio dyeing is more cost-effective and outperformed conventional dyeing in all aspects, while being a sustainable process.

Detection of APEO in textiles by HPLC

Different textiles pre-processing methods including Ultrasonic Extraction method and Soxhlet Extraction method were evaluated in this study. These two pre-processing methods were used for extraction the Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEO) from textiles. The concentration of APEO in textiles was simultaneous determinationin by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography. The precision, recovery, and repeatability of these methods were discussed. The results exhibited that the good recovery range between 85.84％ and 100.14％ was obtained during the process of the Ultrasonic Extraction. This method was validated within the concentration range at all levels. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was less than 3％ which were less enough for samples determinations of Alkylphenol Ethoxylates in textile. The Ultrasonic Extraction method to prepare samples is quicker, simpler, more stable, practical and creating smaller environmental hazards, in comparison with the Soxhlet Extraction method.

The profile of contamination with alkylphenol ethoxylates of some Israeli watercourse rivers and their sediment layers

Abstract The ‘hard’ non-biodegradable alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs) nonionic surfactants are environmentally persistent and widely used worldwide. The aim of this work is to determine the total concentration and the homological distribution in rivers and there sediments, in central Israel. The concentrations of APEOs in the water of these rivers and in their sediments were found to be 11.83–55.32 μg/L, and 99.68–1,176.61 μg/kg, respectively. The APEOs' concentration level decreases as the sample is taken from a deeper layer of the sediment. A possible explanation for this is that in APEOs molecules, the hydrophilic fraction (CH2-CH2-O) increases the APEOs' absorption into sediment layers close to water, being saturated with water. In addition, the organic biofilm in the sediment layers used as schmutzdecke can reduce the concentration levels of APEOs that penetrates the deep layers of the sediment. The dominant homologues of APEOs in the river watercourse were those with 9–15 units of ethylene oxide (EO). Homologues with 1–12 units of ethylene oxide were found to be the dominant ones in the sediment layers of Hadera and Alexander rivers.

In vivo study of 8-OHdG as a biomarker DNA damage by combining the exposure of nonyl phenol and copper using ELISA technique

Nonylphenol (NP) is an environmental contaminants produced by alkylphenol ethoxylates which is non-ionic surfactant. NP has recently been found in foods derived from antioxidant hydrolysis of tris nonylphenyl phosphite which is used as a heat stabilizer in the manufacture of polymer food packaging materials, such as styrene, vinyl polymer, rubber and polyolefins. Copper (Cu) is a redox metal which in the normal dose is an essential mineral that needed by the body, but excess Cu will cause damage in some organs. Both NP and Cu can produce OH radicals in the body, which means that OH radicals will potentially attack DNA and thus form a biomarker of DNA damage such as 8-OHdG. This study of DNA adducts of 8-OHdG formation due to NP as a xenobiotic and Cu as metals. In this research, the eight-month-old Sprague Dawly rats weighing 200 −300 g were randomly divided into three groups (Control, Cu, NP, and NP + Cu, n = 5). The tested rats were orally treated every 24 h for 28 days. Finally, the collected plasma was tested using ELISA technique to study the 8-OHdG content. Based on the results, it was shown that both NP and Cu metals could trigger the formation of 8-OHdG. The highest concentration of 8-OHdG formed was the exposure group of NP + Cu in day 14 with a concentration of 1.3412 ng/mL.

Effect of ozonation as pre-treatment and polishing step on removal of ecotoxicity and alkylphenol ethoxylates from tank truck cleaning wastewater

Wastewater originating from tank truck cleaning (TTC) industry is reputed for its large variability and may lead to emission of recalcitrant and ecotoxic substances in discharge waters. In this study, TTC wastewater was biologically treated in two lab-scale activated sludge sequencing batch reactors. Two strategies were used, (1) influent pre-treatment with ozone followed by activated sludge treatment and (2) activated sludge treatment followed by polishing with ozone. Effluent soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD), ecotoxicity and the 4-nonylphenol (NP) concentration were used to evaluate and compare both strategies. Experiments were conducted for two different TTC companies using the same set-up. For Company 1, a decrease in ecotoxicity of 80 % was observed for algal growth inhibition and 10 % for Daphnia immobilization when using effluent polishing compared to pre-treatment. Hereby the NP concentration decreased below discharge limits (0.3 ng.mL−1). For Company 2 the ecotoxic effect in the algal growth inhibition test increased to 100 % when conducting effluent polishing, while ecotoxicity for the original effluent and the effluent from the pre-treated system were similar. sCOD did not decrease significantly and the discharge limit of NP was only met for one sample. Extended (7 h) effluent ozone polishing tests were conducted at two pH setpoints to assess the impact of radical formation during ozone treatment. In general, it was observed that ozone as a pre-treatment step had no significant influence on ecotoxicity and COD removal. Effluent polishing can improve ecotoxicity and effluent characteristics, despite the dependence on wastewater composition, as toxic side products may be produced.

Analysis of Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs) from tannery sediments using LC–MS and their environmental risks

Alkyl phenol polyethoxylates (APEOs) are a major group of high production volume chemicals, extensively used as nonionic surfactants in industrial, agricultural and domestic sectors. These surfactants and its respective metabolites are found to be persistent and toxic. Mainly, they act as endocrine disruptors by mimicking the natural hormones. India being a developing country, witnesses pollution due to various industries including tannery. In the present study, sediment samples were collected from the Vellore district of Tamil Nadu, India to investigate the occurrence of APEOs. The sediments were extracted by ultrasonication and analyzed in a liquid chromatography mass spectrometer. Octyl phenol ethoxylates (OPEOs) were not observed in any of the samples. Nonyl phenol ethoxylates (NPEOs) were detected in the range of ND – 36 mg/kg with 85 % detection frequency. The occurrence of NPEOs in sediment indicates its wide usage in tannery and its partitioning behavior in environment. The levels of NPEOs in the study were found to be unsafe according to the sediment guidelines of various studies. Since NPEOs were observed in sediment samples, possibilities of occurrence of their monomers and metabolites cannot be ruled out. Therefore, further studies are warranted for understanding the levels of monomers and metabolites in order to ascertain the environmental risks more appropriately.

Investigating the Fluid-Solid Interaction of Acid Nonionic Nanoemulsion with Carbonate Porous Media.

The subject of rock–fluid interaction is important in cases where flow through porous media is occurring. One special case is when the fluid reacts with the porous matrix. In this case, the mass transfer and reaction rate control the dissolution pattern. This article aimed to study the interaction between an acid nanoemulsion system and a carbonate porous media. Nanoemulsions were developed to retard the rock’s dissolution and to promote the formation of conductivity channels. Nanoemulsions were prepared using ALK100 (alkyl alcohol ethoxylate) and RNX110 (alkylphenol ethoxylate) (nonionic surfactants), sec-butanol (co-surfactant), xylene isomers (oil phase), and a solution of HCl (aqueous phase). The obtained systems were characterized in terms of surface tension, droplet diameter, and reactivity. X-ray fluorescence/diffraction (XRF/XRD) and X-ray microtomography (microCT) were performed on carbonate porous media samples treated with the acid systems in order to observe the effects of the fluid–rock interaction. The results showed that the acid nanoemulsion, presenting a low oil content formulation, showed the low surface tension and droplet size characteristic of nanoemulsions. It was experimentally verified that the reactivity in the nanoemulsion media was mass-transfer-retarded, and that the wormhole pattern was verified under the studied conditions.

Evaluating exposures of bay mussels (Mytilus trossulus) to contaminants of emerging concern through environmental sampling and hydrodynamic modeling

Bay mussels (Mytilus trossulus) were transplanted to 18 locations representing a range of potential exposures throughout Puget Sound, WA. Tissues were analyzed for over 200 organic contaminants. Results indicated the widespread exposure of marine organisms to trace levels of organic contaminants including the synthetic opioid oxycodone, present at three urban sites, and the chemotherapy drug melphalan, present at nine locations, at levels that may be of biological concern.Land-use and wastewater outfalls were evaluated as potential sources of CECs to the nearshore. Exposure to alkylphenol ethoxylates was associated with increased impervious surfaces in upland watersheds. A hydrodynamic simulation was performed using the Salish Sea Model to integrate inputs from 99 wastewater sources to Puget Sound. Predictions were consistent with concentrations of several wastewater-associated contaminants and δ15N enrichment. These results support the notion that Puget Sound nearshore biota suffer chronic exposures to a suite of contaminants from multiple sources and provide critical to focus future monitoring and management.

Preparation and properties of long chain based polyacrylate latex

The long carbon chain monomer modified polyacrylate latex was successfully prepared by semi-continuous seeded emulsion polymerization. In this work, methyl methacrylate and butyl acrylate were used as main monomers; stearyl acrylate was used as functional monomer, which were emulsified with the novel mixed surfactants of disodium laureth sulfosuccinate (AEMES) and alkylphenol ethoxylates (OP-10) and initiated with 2,2′-azobis (2-methyl propion- amidine) dihydrochloride initiator. The structure of the resultant latex was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis and contact angle were used to test the properties of the latex film. The particle size of the latex was measured by the Zetatrac dynamic light scattering detector. Factors, which have an influence on the properties of the latex and its film, have been investigated in detail. Results show that the optimal condition of synthesizing the latex is as follows: the amount of emulsifiers is 4%; the mass ratio of AEMES to OP-10 is 3:1; the amount of initiator is 0.7%; the content of SA is 6%.

KEEFEKTIFAN EKSTRAK TEPUNG DAUN MIMBA (Azadirachta indica A. JUSS) DENGAN PENAMBAHAN BEBERAPA JENIS SURFAKTAN TERHADAP ULAT GRAYAK (Spodoptera litura FAB.) PADA TANAMAN KEDELAI (Glycine max L. MERRILL)

Neem leaves powder extract is a bioinsecticide which can be used to control the pest. The active compound of neem leaves powder extract is easy to be disentangled by the ultraviolet, so that the effectiveness of application itis low in the field. The alternative to solve this problem can be used the addition surfactant to the neem leaves powder extract. The purpose of this research was to determine the influence and the kind of surfactant which is best to increase the effectiveness of neem leaves powder extract to Spodoptera litura pest on a soybean plant. The research was using a completely randomized design (CRD) with four treatments and five replications so there were 20 unit experiments. The treatment has used some kind of surfactant with the different active compound; linear alkylbenzene sulphonate (LAS), alkyl poly glycol ether (APE), alkylphenol ethoxylate (AE) and polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate (PSM). The results showed the addition of synthetic surfactant with the active compound APE, AE and PSM can increase the effectiveness of neem leave powder extract80 g/lof water to the early death, lethal time 50 and total mortality of S. litura. The intensity attack of S. litura showed APE tends to be better to increase the effectivity of neem leaves powder extract than AE and PSM.

Combined study of source, environmental monitoring and fate of branched alkylphenols: The chain length matters.

Alkylphenols (APs) are chemicals of largely anthropogenic origin. Longer chain derivatives like 4-nonylphenol (4NP) or 4-tert.-octylphenol (4tOP) are mainly used for the production of alkylphenol ethoxylates, while short chain alkylphenols (SCAPs) can be applied during the production of phenolic or epoxide resins that are used in paint, glue or adhesive formulations. The source, environmental distribution and fate of 4NP and 4tOP were thoroughly demonstrated leading to growing concerns regarding their endocrine properties. Although, SCAPs are also expected to entail risks to the aquatic environment, only few studies dealt with the identification of possible sources or environmental concentrations thereof.In order to evaluate the role of resin-based building materials as a possible source of 4-tert.-butylphenol (4tBP), 4-tert.-pentylphenol (4tPP), 4tOP and 4NP, 18 formulations were tested. Furthermore, AP concentrations of four wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and 50 surface waters were analyzed to assess and compare environmental concentrations and the discharge of APs depending on their chain length. 4tBP was the dominant AP in analyzed building materials with concentrations up to 320 g kg−1. Furthermore, APs were detected in all WWTPs and waterbodies. 4NP was the dominant AP in most surface water and WWTP samples ranging from <LOQ-0.5 μg L−1 and <LOQ-2.34 μg L−1, respectively, whereas 4tPP was rarely detected over all samples. Observed detection patterns of 4tBP in surface waters indicated different entrance pathways and hence, different sources compared to 4NP and 4tOP. Furthermore, WWTP samples and accompanying transformation studies pointed towards rapid biotransformation of 4tBP, explaining low environmental concentrations.

Synergistic effects of surfactant mixtures on the displacement of nonaqueous phase liquids in porous media

Binary surfactant mixtures have often been used to enhance the recovery or cleanup of nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) such as crude oil from subsurface formations. Through synergistic effects, these mixtures further promoted NAPL mobilization and solubilization by lowing NAPL/brine interfacial tension (IFT) and desorbing NAPL from mineral surfaces, thereby altering their wettability. While the impact of mixing synergy on IFT has been well documented, its effect on wettability alteration in rocks under different test conditions (i.e., mineralogy and pore topology) is still unclear. The objective of this study was to establish structure-function relationships in these systems and identify the test conditions under which binary mixtures outperform single surfactants. Four different nonionic surfactants (alkyl glucosides, linear/branched alcohol ethoxylates) were selected with a hydrophile-lipophile balance number of ˜13. We used IFT, contact angle (CA), and spontaneous imbibition tests with NAPL-aged cores to understand the mechanisms of interaction and examine the efficiency of surfactants and their mixtures in promoting NAPL displacement in three sedimentary rocks with different mineralogy and pore topology. Synergistic effects were investigated by calculating cross-sectional areas and interaction parameters of surfactant mixtures and relating them to IFT and CA. Alkylphenol ethoxylates with relatively short aliphatic tails could fill the gaps between the large sugar-based heads of alkyl glucosides and enhance their geometrical packing at NAPL/brine interfaces. The denser interfacial layer formed by these mixtures led to the largest decrease in IFT and promoted the highest NAPL mobilization in low permeability sandstone and carbonate samples. The ability of nonionic surfactants to restore the wettability of oil-wet mineral surfaces was a function of their molecular structure and rock topology. In homogeneous sandstones, alkyl glucosides with their strong hydrogen bonding ability with silanol groups of quartz, could restore the wettability to a greater extent and consequently exhibited the highest NAPL removal. However, they were ineffective in altering the wettability of carbonates due to their strong self-association tendency into large micelles which prevented them from penetrating rough and nanoporous regions. The synergistic mixing of alkyl glucosides with alkylphenol ethoxylates could overcome these limitations as they exhibited a complementary mechanism of action with respect to IFT reduction and wettability alteration, recovering the largest amounts of NAPL in carbonate-bearing rocks.

Impact of Environmental Chemicals (Plasticizers) on Reproduction

Exposure to synthetic environmental chemicals (e.g., DDT and its metabolites, especially p,p`-DDE, alkylphenol ethoxylates, PCBs and dioxins) produces reproductive problems in a variety of vertebrate species via endocrine mechanisms. Naturally occurring environmental chemicals (e.g., phytoestrogens and estrogenic mycotoxins) induce infertility in domestic animal species and can alter human reproductive function. Concerns over these findings have been compounded by a series of publications suggesting that in utero exposure to environmental chemicals may have contributed to the reported decline in human sperm counts, the increased incidences of urogenital malformations (e.g., hypospadias, testicular cancer and undescended testes) and altered sex ratio over the last 40–50 years. It is postulated that in utero exposure to environmental estrogens could be responsible for the increased incidences of these alterations. This hypothesis is biologically plausible because hormones play critical roles as regulators of development in vertebrates and exposure to hormonally active toxicants during sexual differentiation is known to produce abnormal reproductive phenotypes in humans and other animals.

Presence of estrogenic endocrine disruptors in three European estuaries in Northwest Iberian Peninsula (Portugal)

Estrone, 17β-estradiol, 17α-ethynylestradiol, alkylphenols and alkylphenol ethoxylates, are endocrine disruptor compounds. In Portugal, the report of male fish feminization in Minho, Ave and Mondego River estuaries made pertinent their evaluation in surface water samples. Data, got by specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, showed that estrogens concentrations were lower in Minho than in Ave or Mondego estuaries: [Estrone] > [17β-estradiol] > [17α-ethynylestradiol] (p < 0.05). Converting estrogen concentrations in 17α-ethynylestradiol equivalents, the contribution of estrogens was 1.3 ng/L, 3.5 ng/L, and 2.4 ng/L, respectively, for Minho, Ave, and Mondego estuaries stressing out a high risk for local aquatic species. The concentrations of alkylphenols and alkylphenol ethoxylates were lower at both Minho and Mondego estuaries ≈600 ng/L and 2700 ng/L, respectively than at the Ave, ≈1070 ng/L and 4855 ng/L (p < 0.05). In conclusion, this study reports the first systematic data about the presence of the targeted endocrine disruptor compounds in the Minho River estuary and, in parallel, provides new information about their concentrations in two other habitats previously monitored. This study also shows that in Ave and Mondego estuaries the concentrations of industrial estrogens were still excessive, whereas the load of the pure estrogens has decreased significantly facing previous surveys.

Characterization and analysis of non-ionic surfactants by supercritical fluid chromatography combined with ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry.

Comprehensive separation and analysis of non-ionic surfactants have been conducted by coupling supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) with ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry (IMS-MS). Representative non-ionic surfactants were investigated, including alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs), e.g., octylphenol ethoxylates (OPEOs) and fatty alcohol ethoxylates (FAEs), e.g., lauryl alcohol ethoxylates (LAEs). A sub-2-μm high-density diol column was used for chromatographic separation by the first-dimensional SFC due to the differences in ethoxy chain prior to electrospray ionization (ESI). Maintaining the fidelity of pre-ionization separation in the first dimension, the introduction of IMS provided additional post-ionization resolution by broadly fractionating the oligometric ethoxymers based on their size and electric charge within 13.78ms. Distinguishable series of singly and multiply charged non-ionic species could be clearly observed. The millisecond timescale ion mobility separation perfectly fits the elution time of a chromatographic peak, while effectively feeding components into the fast-scanning time-of-flight (TOF) mass analyzer for characterization and analysis. The orthogonality of the developed separation and analysis system was evaluated, revealing a correlation coefficient and peak spreading angle of 0.2729 and 74.16° for the studied OPEOs and 0.1962 and 78.69° for LAEs. Significant enhancement in peak capacity was achieved for the developed SFC-IMS-MS system with the actual peak capacity measured to be approximately 41 and 160 times higher than that of the dimensions of SFC and IMS, respectively, when used alone. Graphical abstract.

Alkylphenol ethoxylate metabolites in coastal sediments off southwestern Taiwan: Spatiotemporal variations, possible sources, and ecological risk

Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs) are one of the most widely used classes of surfactants, but they are also ubiquitous environmental pollutants and known endocrin-disrupting chemicals. This study is the first to investigate the spatiotemporal variations and possible sources of APEOs and their metabolites, including nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs) and octylphenol ethoxylates (OPEOs), in coastal sediments off southwestern Taiwan. The highest APEO concentration in the dry season was observed for the Kaohsiung coastal area, whereas the highest alkylphenol (AP) concentration in the wet season was found offshore at the Tainan Canal exit. No continuous accumulation of alkylphenol metabolites was evident in the area. One possible reason is that seasonal current and wind waves disperse the coastal pollutants. Application of multivariate statistical tools (hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis) confirmed the role of rivers and the Tainan Canal in transporting contaminants to coastal environments, suggesting influences of industrial and human activities on APEO distribution. A further comparison with the predicted no-effect concentrations (PNECs) proposed by the European Union indicates that nonylphenol (NP) and octylphenol (OP) might pose potential ecological risks to the aquatic environment in the studied area. These findings provide useful information for environmental policy implementation and ecological assessments of different types of endocrine-disrupting chemicals and raise warnings about surfactant applications.

Priority substances in accumulated sediments in a stormwater detention basin from an industrial area

One of the most adopted solutions in developed countries to manage stormwater is detention/retention basins which generate large quantities of sediments that have to be removed regularly. In order to manage them properly, accurate data are needed about their physical and chemical characteristics, particularly on micropollutant concentrations and their associated risk. This work consisted in a two-year sampling of dry sediments from a detention-settling basin. Priority substances, including pesticides, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), alkylphenols and bisphenol A (BPA), were monitored. Different sites in the basin bottom were sampled in order to investigate spatial distribution of the contamination. Results show that the increase of the sediment thickness in the basin was heterogeneous with a maximum of 15 cm after two years. Pesticides and PBDE were, if detected, mainly found in low concentrations from 2 ng/g to 286 ng/g. Conversely, alkylphenols and bisphenol A were always quantified at concentrations varying from 6 ng/g to 3400 ng/g. These high levels suggest that these sediments should be managed with precautions. Spatial heterogeneity of alkylphenol ethoxylates and BPA concentrations was observed, with higher contamination of alkylphenol ethoxylates in anaerobic zones and BPA levels correlated with total organic carbon and in a lesser extent to fine particles.

Alcohol ethoxylates significantly synergize pesticides than alkylphenol ethoxylates considering bioactivity against three pests and joint toxicity to Daphnia magna

Seeking alternatives for alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs) have been a heavily researched topic in the surfactant industry and agricultural systems. In this study, the combined effects of different ethoxylates and pesticides on the bioactivity against three pests and toxicological risks to Daphnia magna were investigated. Results showed that alcohol ethoxylates (AEOs) had higher synergistic effects on the bioactivity of pesticides against Spodoptera exigua, Agrotis ipsilon and Aphis citricola than did APEOs. In terms of the joint toxicity of the ethoxylates and pesticides to D. magna, additive index method, toxicity unit method, V value method and isobologram method were used in the tests. All of these methods indicated that the joint effects of APEOs + acetamiprid and APEOs + indoxacarb upon D. magna turned from synergism to antagonism with the increasing EO (ethylene oxide) numbers. Those of AEOs exhibited similar trends. Overall, AEOs may be potential alternatives for APEOs in agriculture as they synergize pesticides against three pests significantly more than do APEOs. However, further research should investigate the compounds' environmental risks to aquatic organisms because the AEOs were highly toxic to D. magna.