Ecotoxicity and Micellization Behavior of Anionic Surfactant Sodium Dodecylbenzene Sulfonate (SDBS) and its Mixtures with Nonionic Surfactant Fatty Alcohol-polyoxyethylene Ether (AEO)

In this study, the ecotoxicity and surface activity of the composites of anionic surfactant sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) and nonionic surfactant fatty alcohol-polyoxyethylene ether (AEO) in various mass ratios were assessed, and the correlation between ideal application properties and safe ecological perspective of the composites was explored. The ecotoxicity of individual SDBS, AEO, and SDBS/AEO mixtures was determined using the bioluminescence inhibition assay with Photobacterium phosphoreum, and the critical micelle concentrations (CMC) were measured by surface tension method and steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy. Sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) showed a considerably higher toxicity than individual AEO and SDBS/AEO mixtures. Scanning electron microscope images illustrated the rupture of bacteria membrane induced by SDBS, and the addition of AEO alleviated the damage. According to the dose–response relationship on luminous bacteria, SDBS/AEO mixtures were divided into three groups (group I with a high proportion of SDBS, SDBS:AEO = 4:1 and 3:2; group II, SDBS:AEO = 1:1; group III with a high proportion of AEO, SDBS:AEO = 2:3 and 1:4). The sequence of toxicity of the SDBS/AEO mixtures was group II > group III > group I, demonstrating that the toxicity of the composites was related to the mixture proportion instead of the amount of AEO added. The CMC order of SDBS/AEO mixtures was group II > group I > group III, and it was p...
Source: Aquatic Toxicology - Category: Toxicology Source Type: research