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HPLC determination of ethoxylated alcohol surfactants in wastewater

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) may be used for analysis of municipal wasterwater containing ethoxylated alcohol surfactants. After cleanup of the sample by XAD-2 resin, liquid-liquid extraction, ion exchange and cobalt thiocyanate extraction, the surfactant is derivatized with phenyl isocyanate to permit UV detection and analyzed by both normal phase and reversedphase HPLC. The alkyl chain length distribution is determined using reversed-phase HPLC, while the ethoxy chain length is determined by normal phase HPLC. The limit of quantification is 0.1 ppm."

Range Finding Study: Analysis of lnterstitial Water and Sediment for Surfactants by Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS)

The purpose of this study was to measure background levels of alkyl ethoxylate, alkyl sulfate/alkyl ethoxysulfate, and linear alkyl benzene sulfonate surfactants in interstitial water and sediment samples. Results from the range-finding study to determine residual surfactant concentrations in interstitial water and sediment samples from Little Miami River (Ohio) samples are presented.

Use of watershed factors to predict consumer surfactant risk, water quality, and habitat quality in the upper Trinity River, Texas

S.F. Atkinson^a, D.R. Johnson^a, 1, B.J. Venables^a, J.L. Slye^a, J.R. Kennedy^a, S.D. Dyer^b, B.B. Price^b, M. Ciarlo^c, K. Stanton^d, H. Sanderson^d and A. Nielsen<sup>e

a</sup>Institute of Applied Science, Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, P.O. Box 310559, Denton, TX 76203-0559, United States

^bThe Procter and Gamble Company, Miami Valley Innovation Center, 11810 East Miami River Road, Cincinnati, OH 45253, United States

^cEA Engineering, EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, 15 Loveton Circle, Sparks, MD 21152, United States

^dThe Soap and Detergent Association, 1500 K Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, District of Columbia 20005, United States

^eSasol North America, Research and Development Department, 2201 Old Spanish Trail, Westlake LA 70669, United States


Surfactants are high production volume chemicals that are used in a wide assortment of “down-the-drain” consumer products. The Trinity River (Texas) is an ideal study site for surfactants due to the high ratio of wastewater treatment plant effluent to river flow (> 95%) during late summer months. The objective of this project was to determine whether surfactant concentrations, expressed as toxic units, in-stream water quality, and aquatic habitat in the upper Trinity River could be predicted based on easily accessible watershed characteristics. Results show that GIS modeling has the potential to be a reliable and inexpensive method of predicting water and habitat quality in the upper Trinity River watershed and perhaps other highly urbanized watersheds in semi-arid regions.

An inexpensive, deep-water limnocorral that compensates for wave action

A large reusable limnocorral is described, suitable for use in water bodies with substantial wave action.

Nutrient removal bioassay methods for assessment of the effects of decreased nutrient loading on phytoplankton communities in aquatic ecosystems

This report explore techniques for directly estimating phytoplankton response to lowered nutrient loading. Techniques previously used by lake managers have assumed that phosphorus (P) limits productivity and utilize regression relationships between P loading and chlorophyll a to estimate the effects of lowered nutrient loading. Assuming P is the only limiting nutrient in freshwaters may be misleading; P often limits productivity, but not always. Furthermore, in cases of severe P contamination, internal cycling of P will make efforts to control P loading meaningless. Nutrient addition bioassays can be used to determine what, if any, nutrient limits productivity in a system. They can not be used to quantitatively estimate the effects of lowering nutrients on lakes and are not useful when nutrient levels are extremely high. The research reported here addresses this problem by evaluating techniques to directly test the effects of lowering nutrients in a lake.