Nonylphenol Ethoxylates Research Articles

Environmental management of microplastics and additives: a critical review of treatment technologies and their impact

Microplastics (MPs) and their associated chemical additives, such as bisphenol A (BPA), nonylphenol (NP), nonylphenol ethoxylate (NEPO), and tetrabromobisphenol (TBBPA), are widely recognized as significant environmental contaminants due to their widespread presence in ecosystems and their potential impact on human health. This review evaluates advanced treatment technologies, such as membrane filtration and oxidation processes, for mitigating these risks and highlights gaps in sustainability and efficiency. Actionable strategies for improving the removal of MPs and MP additives were presented in the assessment of innovative hybrid treatment tailored to different water matrices. The importance of anti-fouling technologies, comprehensive life cycle assessments (LCAs), and standardizing treatment methods to enhance the sustainability and applicability of these technologies were further highlighted. To further improve and optimize treatment processes and ensure sustainability, existing knowledge gaps must be addressed by framing a comprehensive understanding of the long-term ecological effects of MPs and their additives.

Preparation of novel polymeric surfactants based on synergistic effects and analysis of the mechanism driving the oil-displacement process and enhanced oil recovery

Polymeric surfactants have been favored by researchers due to their ability to increase the viscosity of the aqueous phase, reduce the viscosity of the oil phase, and avoid the chromatographic separation effects of polymer-surfactant binary combination flooding. However, there is little research into the oil-displacement effect of polymer surfactants, and the mechanism whereby it enhances heavy oil recovery remains unclear. To fill this theoretical gap in the research into the oil-displacement mechanism of polymer surfactants, a novel polymeric surfactant PNBM was prepared using acrylamide, acrylic acid, nonylphenol ethoxylate (NP), and 4-vinylbiphenyl (VB). The chemical structure of PNBM was validated by characterization methods such as 1HNMR, FT-IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The mechanism of PNBM for enhancing heavy oil recovery was systematically studied based on the displacement and profile control by thickening, reducing viscosity by emulsification, and peeling of oil films and droplets. Polymeric surfactant PNM containing NP and polymeric surfactant PBM containing VB were used as control groups. Benefiting from the synergistic effect of two viscosity-reducing monomers, PNBM has better oil displacement effect compared to PNM and PBM: (1) a tighter adsorption film can be formed at the water–oil interface due to the good interfacial activity of PNBM, so that the average viscosity reduction rate of PNBM at a low concentration reaches 85.5 %; (2) PNBM can significantly increase the viscosity of aqueous solutions (increasing to 38.2 mPa·s), decrease the water–oil mobility ratio, and expand the swept volume; (3) PNBM can reduce the contact angle of the water phase on the oil-wet surface to 62.8°, supplemented by its good viscoelasticity, thereby improving the oil-washing efficiency. Therefore, under the triple effects of displacement and profile control by thickening, reducing viscosity by emulsification, and peeling of oil films and droplets, PNBM can enhance heavy oil recovery by 17.7 %, significantly improving the beneficial industrial exploitation of heavy oil reservoirs.

Hybrid process combining ultrafiltration and electro-oxidation for COD and nonylphenol ethoxylate removal from industrial laundry wastewater

Laundry wastewater is a significant source of nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPEO) at wastewater treatment plants, where its breakdown forms persistent nonylphenol (NP). NP poses risks as an endocrine disruptor in wildlife and humans. This study investigates the degradation of NPEO and COD in industrial laundry wastewater (LWW) using a two-stage process combining ultrafiltration (UF) and electro-oxidation (EO). UF was used to remove suspended solids, while soluble COD (COD0 = 239 ± 6 mg.L−1) and NPEO (NPEO0 = 341 ± 8 μg.L−1) were oxidized by the EO process. Different operating parameters were studied such as current density, electrolysis time, type of cathode and supporting electrolyte concentration. Using an experimental design methodology, the optimal conditions for COD and NPEO3-17 degradation were recorded. This included achieving 97% degradation of NPEO3-17 and 61% degradation of COD, with a total operating cost of 3.65 USD·m−3. These optimal conditions were recorded at a current density of 15 mA cm−2 for a 120-min reaction period in the presence of 4 g·Na2SO4 L−1 using a graphite cathode. The EO process allowed for reaching the guidelines required for water reuse (NPEO <200 μg.L−1, COD <100 mg.L−1) in the initial laundry washing cycles. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that both NP and NPEO compounds, including higher and shorter ethoxylate chains (NPEO3-17), were effectively degraded during the EO process, with removal efficiencies between 94% and 98%. This confirms the EO process's capability to effectively degrade NP, the by-product of NPEO breakdown.

Impact of surfactants used in oil and gas extraction on produced water treatment by membrane distillation

Produced water from unconventional oil and gas reservoirs often contains non-ionic surfactants that are added to the hydraulic fracturing fluid to facilitate water release and enhance gas production. This study investigates the impact of currently used surfactants (i.e., nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs) and octylphenol ethoxylates (OPEOs)) and proposed alternative surfactants on the performance of membrane distillation (MD) for produced water treatment. The impact of NPEOs and OPEOs on wetting of PTFE membranes was studied as a function of their concentrations and ethoxylate (EO) chain length in a lab-scale DCMD system. Additionally, alternative surfactants, including linear alcohol ethoxylates (LAEs), branched secondary alcohol ethoxylates (BAEs), and alkyl polyglycosides (APGs), were evaluated for their potential to replace NPEOs and OPEOs. Experimental results indicate that the increase in the number of EO units in NPEOs decreased their tendency to cause membrane wetting by reducing their interaction with hydrophobic surfaces. It was also observed that LAEs and APGs that are environmentally friendly alternatives did not cause membrane wetting. This study provides valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms of surfactant-membrane interactions and offers guidelines for surfactant alternatives that can potentially improve hydraulic fracturing and lower environmental concerns while facilitating the use of MD for produced water treatment and recovery.

NP, OP and Derivatives in Freshwater Sediment Downstream of Textile Associated Municipal Wastewater Discharges

Alkylphenol ethoxylates comprise of many anthropogenic chemicals such as nonylphenol (NP), octylphenol (OP) and nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs). The objectives of this study were to assess the frequency and magnitude of detections of 4-NP, OP and NPEOs in Canadian sediment downstream of textile associated municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWWTPs) to determine if regulatory actions have had a beneficial impact on the receiving environment. Surficial sediments were obtained in four locations in the province of Québec (Canada) and were analyzed for nonylphenol, nonylphenol monoethoxylates (NP1EO), nonylphenol diethoxylates (NP2EO) and octylphenol from 2015 to 2018. Individual concentrations of the compounds varied from non detect to 419 ng/g. Of the four compounds analyzed, NP was detected the most frequently with a 75% detection rate while OPs were not detected in any of the samples. Since the Canadian regulatory actions have drastically reduced NP/NPEOs usage in textile mill factories and manufactured products, the potential source of these compounds in sediment for this study could stem from the outfall from the MWWTPs but not related to textile mills as well as from the usage of these compounds as formulants in pesticide products. Lastly, there were no exceedances to the Canadian Sediment Quality guideline toxic equivalency approach (TEQ) of 1400 ng/g or the 1310 ng/g guideline for NP in freshwater sediment from the European Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks. We hypothesize that the significant concentrations of these compounds in sediment may be a relevant and continuous source of 4NP in surface waters due to resuspension of sediment in the water column.

The different adsorption-degradation behaviors of SARS-CoV-2 by bioactive chemicals in wastewater: The suppression kinetics and their implications for wastewater-based epidemiology

Wastewater-Based Epidemiology (WBE) is widely used to monitor the progression of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. While there is a clear correlation between the number of COVID patients in a sewershed and the viral load in the wastewater, there is notable variability across different treatment plants. In particular, some facilities consistently exhibit higher viral content per diagnosed patient, implying a potential underestimation of the number of COVID patients, while others show a low viral load per diagnosed case, indicating potential attenuation of genetic material from the sewershed. In this study, we investigated the impact of nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPHE), linear alkylbenzene sulfonic acid (LABS), bisoctyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (BDAC), and didecyldimethylammonium chloride (DDAC), the surfactants that have been commonly used as detergents, emulsifiers, wetting agents on the stability of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. The results showed multiple and dynamic mechanisms, including degradation and desorption, can occur simultaneously during the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and different chemicals depending on the physicochemical properties of each chemical. Through the elucidation of the dynamic interactions, the findings from this study could help the state health organizations and scientific community to optimize the SARS-CoV-2 wastewater-based epidemiology strategies.

Transport of polyethylene and polypropylene microplastics under the action of agricultural chemicals: Role of pesticide adjuvants and neonicotinoid active ingredients

Understanding the impact of various agricultural chemical components on the fate and transport of microplastics (MPs) in the subsurface is essential. In this study, column experiments on saturated porous media were conducted to explore the influence of the coexistence environment of pesticide adjuvants (surfactants) and active ingredients (neonicotinoids) on the transport of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) MPs. An anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)), a nonionic surfactant (nonylphenol ethoxylate (NP-40)), and three neonicotinoid insecticides (acetamiprid, dinotefuran, and nitenpyram) could independently increase MP migration by 9.31%–61.01% by improving the hydrophilicity. Acetamiprid or dinotefuran reduced the adhesion work of the binary system by competing with SDS for adsorption sites, thereby inhibiting PE mobility. However, nitenpyram in the mixture was not easily adsorbed on the surface of PE MPs together with SDS because of nitenpyram's high hydrophilicity. Neonicotinoid molecules could not reduce the hydrophilic modification of SDS on PP MPs by competing for adsorption sites. Owing to their weak charge and adhesion work of nonionic surfactants (−4.80 mV and 28.45 kT for PE and −8.21 mV and 17.64 kT for PP), neonicotinoids tended to occupy the adsorption sites originally belonging to NP-40. The long molecular chain of NP-40 made it difficult for high-concentration neonicotinoids to affect the adhesion on MPs. In addition, NP-40 was harder to peel off from the MP surface than SDS, leading to a larger MP transport ability in the sand column.

Microbial synergies drive simultaneous biodegradation of ethoxy and alkyl chains of Nonylphenol Ethoxylate in fluidized bed reactors

The widely-used surfactant Nonylphenol Ethoxylate (NPEO) produces endocrine-disrupting compounds during biodegradation, with these byproducts being more harmful than untreated NPEO. This study investigates the effectiveness of a Fluidized Bed Reactor (FBR) in reducing the production of 4-Nonylphenol (4-NP) during the biodegradation of NPEO. Two identical FBR filled with sand were used to assess the NPEO degradation and to enhance the microbial consortia capable of breaking down the complex byproducts, ethanol and fumarate were introduced as co-substrates. Our findings demonstrate the significant potential of the FBR, especially when coupled with fumarate, for enhancing the surfactant degradation. It outperforms the efficiency achieved with ethanol as the primary electron donor, albeit with a higher rate of byproduct production. Microbial community taxonomy and metabolic prediction revealed the high abundance of Geobacter (1.51–31.71%) and Methanobacterium (1.08–13.81%) in non-conductive sand. This may hint a new metabolic interaction and expand our understanding of Direct Interspecies Electron Transfer (DIET) in bioreactors applied to micropollutants degradation. Such an intricate relationship between facultative and anaerobes working together to simultaneously biodegrade the ethoxy and alkyl chains presents a new perspective on NPEO degradation and can potentially be extended to other micropollutants.

Nonylphenol ethoxylate degradation in detergents during shelf time, a new exposure pathway, and a perspective on their substitution.

Detergents are highly produced pollutants with environmental problems like foam generation and toxic effects in biota. Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) are efficient, economical, and versatile surfactants, used in detergents for more than 40years due to their detergency capacity. In the environment, NPE biodegrades into the metabolite nonylphenol (NP), classified as an endocrine disruptor. The identification and quantification of 4-NP in a designed detergent and 30 commercially available detergents were performed to prove the degradation of NPE into 4-NP during storage time. This investigation introduces the first evidence of NPE degradation during storage in commercially available detergents, demonstrating a novel exposure pathway in humans that has not been explored before, representing potential human health risks. Therefore, simple, easy, low-cost, and available approaches to remove and substitute NP is paramount. Alkyl polyglucoside (APG) was assessed as a substitute, and the feasibility of this substitution was proven according to physical and chemical properties, cleaning performance, and antimicrobial properties. NPE substitution in detergents is demonstrated as a viable strategy to minimize exposure risks in humans and the environment.

Research on the production technology of rubber epoxy from concentrated natural rubber latex

The results of research on epoxidation technology from concentrated natural rubber latex (CNRL) and in-situ peroxyformic acid, which is synthesised from formic acid (FA) and hydrogen peroxide (HP), are presented in the article. The study investigated the influence of technological parameters of the epoxidation process, such as stabiliser content (nonylphenol ethoxylate, NP9), dry rubber content (DRC), isoprene, stirring speed, reaction time, reaction temperature, and molar ratios of hydrogen peroxide and isoprene (IP), on the epoxy resin content of the product. Research results have shown that the epoxidation reaction with NP9 at 10% takes from 2.5 to 20 hours under the following conditions: latex composition contains from 16 to 24% DRC, stirring speed 100 rpm, reaction temperature response 30 to 70 °C, HP/IP molar ratio changes from 0.7 to 1.3, FA/IP ratio is 0.2, the product was stable and without coagulation. The product was obtained with an epoxy content of 23.4 to 43.6%. This is the basis for building an epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) production process to create a series of natural rubber products that are renewable, environmentally friendly, low-cost, and have many industrial applications.

Investigations on the performance of xanthan gum as a foam stabilizer and assessment of economic and environmental impacts of foam concrete production

The properties of foam concrete are greatly influenced by the quality of the foam used. The stability of the foam is a vital property that needs dire attention when selecting surfactant. This paper evaluates the role of Xanthan gum (XG) as an additive in the performance improvement of foam produced with two different surfactants, viz., Hingot (Natural surfactant) and Nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE) (Synthetic surfactant). Different characteristics of foam and surfactant, such as initial foam density, foam drainage, foam bubble microstructure, surface tension, and viscosity of surfactants, are experimentally evaluated. Addition of XG results in a 10-fold increment in viscosity for both Hingot and NPE surfactant solutions. The above enhancement in viscosity results in a substantial reduction in bubble size and an increment in lamella thickness. Further, the reduced surface tension of Hingot surfactant also contributes to a significant reduction in the rate of bubble coalescence. Having studied the surfactant and foam behaviour, the next phase comprises studies on the influence of XG on consistency, setting behaviour, compressive strength, and thermal conductivity of foam concrete with two different densities, viz., 1000 kg/m3 and 1500 kg/m3. Results show that the addition of XG results in a reduction in consistency and an increase in demoulding time of foam concrete. Besides improvement in foam performance, a substantial increase in compressive strength and reduction in thermal conductivity of FC is also observed due to XG addition, indicating that foam bubble microstructure has a significant impact. The last phase involves the life cycle assessment (LCA) of the FC produced with the aforementioned surfactants, which is the first of its kind study that considers the impact of surfactants across various environmental categories. Results of the LCA analysis show that the total cumulative energy demand of preparation of 1 kg of Hingot solution is less than that of 1 kg of NPE surfactant solution. The environmental impact analysis also favours Hingot as a sustainable and economical alternative to NPE surfactant. Results of LCA analysis of FC indicate that foam concrete with 1000 kg/m3 performs better than AAC block and conventional clay brick. Furthermore, the studies highlighted that there is more scope for improving the performance of LCA of FC through using various mineral admixtures as replacement for cement.

Liquid-liquid surfactant partitioning drives dewetting of oil from hydrophobic surfaces

HypothesisSessile droplets solubilizing in surfactant solution are frequently encountered in practice, but the factors governing their non-equilibrium dynamics are not well understood. Here, we investigate mechanisms by which solubilizing, sessile oil droplets in aqueous surfactant solution dewet from hydrophobic substrates and spread on hydrophilic substrates. ExperimentsWe quantify the dependence of droplet contact line dynamics on drop size and oil, surfactant, and substrate chemistries. We consider halogenated alkane oils as well as aromatic oils and focus on common nonionic nonylphenol ethoxylate surfactants. We correlate these results with measurements of the interfacial tensions. FindingsCounter-intuitively, under a range of conditions, we observe complete dewetting of oil from hydrophobic substrates but spreading on hydrophilic substrates. The timescales needed to reach a steady-state contact angle vary widely, with some droplets examined taking over a day. We find that surfactant surface adsorption governs the contact angle on shorter timescales, while partitioning of surfactant from water to oil, and oil solubilization into the water, act on longer timescales to facilitate the complete dewetting. Understanding of the role played by surfactant and oil transport presents opportunities for tailoring sessile droplet behaviors and controlling droplet dynamics under conditions that would previously not have been considered.

Exploring the effects of interactions between nonylphenol ethoxylate and ionic surfactants on interfacial and foaming properties

Nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPE-9) is a widely recognized non-ionic surfactant that finds extensive applications in various industries, including detergency, emulsification, and agriculture. Combining NPE-9 with an ionic surfactant reflects an inexpensive and highly promising approach for enhancing the efficacy of NPE-9. This study explores the molecular interactions between NPE-9 and ionic surfactants (SDS and CTAB) and examines the impact of these interactions on interfacial properties and foaming. The micellization parameters, including the critical micelle concentration (CMC), degree of counterion binding (β), degree of counterion dissociation (α), and change in free energy of micellization (ΔGmic), were investigated for sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) in the presence and absence of NPE-9, using conductometric measurements. The combined effect of NPE-9 and an ionic surfactant resulted in a synergistic interaction, reducing the CMC of the ionic surfactant, and promoting the formation of micelles. The interaction between NPE-9 and ionic surfactants at the air/water interface was investigated using surface tension measurements. The interfacial properties improved through the competitive adsorption and synergistic effect observed between NPE-9 and an ionic surfactant. In this context, the surface tension data of NPE-9 is utilized to calculate interfacial parameters, including maximum surface excess concentration (Γmax), minimum area per molecule (Amin), and surface effectiveness (π). Adding SDS and CTAB to NPE-9 solutions resulted in a notable enhancement in foamability and foam stability. The utilization of various techniques consistently produced improvements in the interfacial and foaming properties of NPE-9.

Chemical of concern for raising awareness to Indonesian textile sustainability

It is well known that textiles and textile products may contain hazardous compounds. Formally, all imported textiles and textile products must be registered through the Indonesian Custom. Ideally, the Indonesian Custom has the capability to detect chemicals of concern in textiles or textile products entering Indonesian territory. However, this is not the case, particularly for chemicals listed in the Stockholm Convention. The difficulties arise from the lack of identification regarding substances listed in the Stockholm Convention that might be present in textiles, textile products, and finished products. The Indonesian Government has initiated programs to assess the presence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Indonesian territory. Results of the assessment were elaborated in the National Implementation Plan Document on POPs, which was updated recently. Not all substances listed in the Stockholm Convention can be described in depth. Some POPs such as short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) and polychlorinated naphthalenes have not been included in Indonesian regulation, particularly in Indonesian Customs Tariff Book, making it extremely difficult to assess them. Nevertheless, a preliminary assessment of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and SCCPs has been carried out. Using the Tier 1 approach, it was revealed that 2,194 tonnes of SCCPs was imported from India to Indonesia, which was listed under HS code 38249090 that covered CP52 (containing 50–54% chlorinated paraffins). Furthermore, another prominent issue for chemicals of concern (CoC) in textiles was the use of lead-containing dyes, nonylphenols, and nonylphenol ethoxylates. The latter two compounds are known to be used in detergents and surfactants during textile manufacturing processes. At present, nonylphenols and nonylphenol ethoxylates are not listed in Indonesian laws for regulated chemicals in textiles and textile products, as well as in the wastewater quality standard for the textile industry. Therefore, to avoid circular economy obstacles of used textiles and textile products and support sustainable Indonesian textiles, a systematic inventory of CoC in textiles is very important.

Identification of key degraders for controlling toxicity risks of disguised toxic pollutants with division of labor mechanisms in activated sludge microbiomes: Using nonylphenol ethoxylate as an example

Efficient management of disguised toxic pollutants (DTPs), which can undergo microbial degradation and convert into more toxic substances, necessitates the collaboration of diverse microbial populations in wastewater treatment plants. However, the identification of key bacterial degraders capable of controlling the toxicity risks of DTPs through division of labor mechanisms in activated sludge microbiomes has received limited attention. In this study, we investigated the key degraders capable of controlling the risk of estrogenicity associated with nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPEO), a representative DTP, in textile activated sludge microbiomes. The results of our batch experiments revealed that the transformation of NPEO into NP and subsequent NP degradation were the rate-limiting processes for controlling the risk of estrogenicity, resulting in an inverted V-shaped curve of estrogenicity in water samples during the biodegradation of NPEO by textile activated sludge. By utilizing enrichment sludge microbiomes treated with NPEO or NP as the sole carbon and energy source, a total of 15 bacterial degraders, including Sphingbium, Pseudomonas, Dokdonella, Comamonas, and Hyphomicrobium, were identified as capable of participating in these processes, Among them, Sphingobium and Pseudomonas were the two key degraders that could cooperatively interact in the degradation of NPEO with division of labor mechanisms. Co-culturing Sphingobium and Pseudomonas isolates exhibited a synergistic effect in degrading NPEO and reducing estrogenicity. Our study underscores the potential of the identified functional bacteria for controlling estrogenicity associated with NPEO and provides a methodological framework for identifying key cooperators engaged in labor division, contributing to the management of risks associated with DTPs by leveraging intrinsic microbial metabolic interactions.

Studies of Endocrine Disruptors: Nonylphenol and Isomers in Biological Models.

Certain emerging pollutants are among the most widely used chemicals globally, causing widespread concern in relation to their use in products devoted to cleaniness and asepsis. Nonylphenol ethoxylate (NPEOn) is one such contaminant, along with its degradation product, nonylphenol, an active ingredient presents in nonionic surfactants used as herbicides, cosmetics, paints, plastics, disinfectants, and detergents. These chemicals and their metabolites are commonly found in environmental matrices. Nonylphenol and NPEOn, used, are particularly concerning, given their role as endocrine disruptors chemical and possible neurotoxic effects recorded in several biological models, primarily aquatic organisms. Limiting and detecting these compounds remain of paramount importance. The objective of the present review was to evaluate the toxic effects of nonylphenol and NPEOn in different biological models. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:1439-1450. © 2023 SETAC.

SPE–UPLC–MS/MS for Determination of 36 Monomers of Alkylphenol Ethoxylates in Tea

Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEOs) represent a non-ionic surfactant widely used as adjuvants in pesticide formulation, which is considered to cause an endocrine-disrupting effect. In the current study, we established a detection method for the APEOs residue in tea based on solid-phase extraction (SPE) for the simultaneous analysis of nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs) and octylphenol ethoxylates (OPEOs) by UPLC-MS/MS. In the spiked concentrations from 0.024 to 125.38 μg/kg for 36 monomers of APEOs (nEO = 3-20), the recoveries of APEOs range from 70.3-110.7% with RSD ≤ 16.9%, except for OPEO20 (61.8%) and NPEO20 (62.9%). The LOQs of OPEOs and NPEOs are 0.024-6.27 and 0.16-5.01 μg/kg, respectively. OPEOs and NPEOs are detected in 50 marketed tea samples with a total concentration of 0.057-12.94 and 0.30-215.89 µg/kg, respectively. The detection rate and the range of the monomers of NPEOs are generally higher than those of OPEOs. The current study provides a theoretical basis for the rational use of APEOs as adjuvants in commercial pesticide production.

Novelty of glycoside surfactant derivatives for sustainable development: A new perspective

AbstractSustainable growth for better survival on our mother earth has given an impetus to researchers to develop eco‐friendly, green, high‐performance, cost‐effective materials. In this regard, APG and its derivatives are considered to be very promising chemical moieties in the area of surfactants and detergents. It is all because of their special properties viz, their synergism with other co‐surfactant molecules, low irritation, high foaming, and excellent biodegradation aspects. It makes many researchers do some quality work and study to explore their further goodness for better ecology. A broad range of alkyl polyglucoside derivatives can be obtained by nucleophilic substitution. Among the various derivatives of alkyl polyglucoside, the anionic alkyl polyglycoside esters (AGEs) and AGE‐nonionic surfactant mixtures can able to increase wettability, and it may increase mineral content in soils. The phosphate alkyl polyglucosides show good performance in detergency and better wetting properties with good biodegradability. The sulfonated alkyl polyglucosides are a good alternative to nonylphenol ethoxylate and exhibit superior cleaning of edible oil.

Determination of Nonylphenol in Selected Foods and Identification of Single Isomers in a Coffee Sample by Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry

Nonylphenols (NPs) are a degradation product of nonylphenol ethoxylate surfactants, which occur in many samples from the environment, food, and human organism. NPs are persistent and toxic and exhibit estrogenic activity. One of the challenges in understanding the estrogenic effects of NPs is the large number of isomers that may exist in different samples. After analyzing selected foods from different countries by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry, NPs were detected in 8 of the 12 food samples. The concentration of NPs, based on fresh weight, ranged from 0.5 to 18.9 μg kg−1. The highest NP contents were found in coffee samples, and therefore an isomer-specific analysis was carried out by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GCxGC-TOF-MS). Fourteen pure isomers of NP were used as standards for cross-referencing the NP isomers. We identified the two main NP isomers in the coffee samples as 4-[3-ethyl-1,1-dimethylpentyl]-phenol and 4-[1-ethyl-1,3-dimethylpentyl]-phenol or NP128 and NP111 (Juelich nomenclature), respectively. The GCxGC-TOF-MS system with a liquid nitrogen cryogenic modulator used in this study is suitable for the isomer-specific analysis of NP and can be applied and further optimized for future routine analysis in food control.

Emulsion-based recovery of a multicomponent petroleum hydrocarbon NAPL using nonionic surfactant formulations

Surfactants can aid subsurface remediation through three primary mechanisms - solubilization, mobilization and/or emulsification. Among these mechanisms, emulsification in porous media is generally not well studied or well understood; particularly in the context of treating sources containing multicomponent NAPL. The objective of this research was to elucidate the processes responsible for recovery of a multicomponent hydrocarbon NAPL when surfactant solutions are introduced within a porous medium to promote the formation of kinetically-stable oil-in-water emulsions. Emulsifier formulations considered here were selected to offer similar performance characteristics while relying on different families of non-ionic surfactants - nonylphenol ethoxylates or alcohol ethoxylates - for emulsification. The families of surfactants have particular environment relevance, as alcohol ethoxylates are often used where replacement of nonylphenol content is necessary. Results from batch and column studies suggest performance of the two formulations was similar. With both, a synergistic combination of emulsification and mobilization led to recovery of a synthetic gasoline NAPL. The relative contribution of solubilization to the recovery was found to be minor. Moreover, the physical processes associated with emulsification and mobilization acted to limit the amount of preferential recovery (or fractionation) of the multicomponent NAPL.