ULTIMATE BIODEGRADATION OF ALKYLPHENOL ETHOXYLATE SURFACTANTS AND THEIR BIODEGRADATION INTERMEDIATES

摘要

The ultimate biodegradation of the commercial products nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPE9), octylphenol ethoxylates (OPE9), and their biodegradation intermediates, NPE1.5, OPE1.5, NP, and OP, was measured using conventional methods. The extent of biodegradation was also determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of metabolites and measurement of dissolved organic carbon. Optimized pseudo-first order degradation rate constants and half-lives were calculated from these data and from previously published data, using Larson's equation for surfactant degradation kinetics.