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ASsessment Of Alcohol Ethoxylate Surfactants And Fatty Alcohols Mixtures In River Sediments And Prospective Risk Assessment

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Abstract

A feasible and relatively readily available analytical method was adapted for the assessment of alcohol ethoxylates (AE) and fatty alcohols (FA) in sediments. This study illustrates the simultaneous measurement of 38 of 114 possible alcohol ethoxylate ethoxymers (AE) and fatty alcohols (FA) found in commercially important AE products. We predicted toxicity for all identified fractions, as well as the total mixture toxicity, relative to three exposure scenarios via sewage treatment plants (STP) for these widely used chemicals in consumer products and hence generate a preliminary environmental risk screening for AE and FA in sediments. The method is based on derivatization of solvent or solid-phase extracts with 2-fluoro-N-methylpyridinium p-toluenesulfonate (Pyr+). The derivatized extracts were analyzed with liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) operating in the positive ion electrospray mode. The extraction efficiency of AE and FA in three different sediments of varying composition was evaluated with spike-recovery studies, ranging from 64% to 80%. The detection limits for individual ethoxymers typically ranged from 1 to 5ngg−1on a dry weight basis. The mean limit of detection (LOD) was 6ngg−1and the median LOD was 3ngg−1. AE and FA in sediments were found to be stable for two weeks if preserved with 3% (v/v) formalin and stored at 4–6∘C. Based on equilibrium partitioning, background concentrations of AE and FA were predicted to be below concentrations known to elicit chronically toxic effects. Total worst case mixture toxicities for all AE ethoxymers combined with FA were predicted to result in a risk quotient less than 0.6. Activated sludge treatment (STP) significantly reduced the release of total AE and FA by four-fold, suggesting that the total mixture risk quotient would be < 0.15 for sediment dependent organisms.

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Abbreviations

AE:

Elongation

EO:

ethoxylate

FA:

fatty alcohol

R:

alkyl hydrocarbon chain

SPE:

solid phase extraction

HPLC:

high-performance liquid chromatography

LC/MS:

liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

MS/MS:

mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry

pyr+:

2-fluoro-N-methylpyridinium p-toluenesulfonate

S/N:

signal to noise

UV:

ultraviolet

LOD:

limit(s) of detection

LOQ:

limit(s) of quantitation

kg:

kilogram(s)

g:

gram(s)

mg:

milligrams

μg:

micrograms

ng:

nanogram(s)

L:

liter(s)

mL:

milliliter(s)

μL:

microliters

M:

mol(s)

v:

volume

wt:

weight

min:

minute(s)

C:

Celsius

G:

gravity

X:

time(s)

STD:

standard deviation

n :

replicate(s)

STP:

sewage treatment plant

Kd:

distribution constant

f oc :

fraction organic carbon

K oc :

coefficient organic carbon

EqP:

equilibrium partitioning

PEC:

predicted environmental concentration

PNEC:

predicted no effect concentration

TU:

toxic unit

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. US Soap and Detergent Association, Director, Environment Safety, Washington, US

    Scott D. Dyer, Hans Sanderson, Scott W. Waite, Remi Van Compernolle, Bradford Price, Allen M. Nielsen, Alex Evans, Alvaro J. Decarvalho, Dennis J. Hooton & Andrew J. Sherren

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  1. Scott D. Dyer
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  2. Hans Sanderson
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  3. Scott W. Waite
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  4. Remi Van Compernolle
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  5. Bradford Price
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  6. Allen M. Nielsen
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  7. Alex Evans
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  8. Alvaro J. Decarvalho
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  9. Dennis J. Hooton
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  10. Andrew J. Sherren
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Dyer, S.D., Sanderson, H., Waite, S.W. et al. ASsessment Of Alcohol Ethoxylate Surfactants And Fatty Alcohols Mixtures In River Sediments And Prospective Risk Assessment. Environ Monit Assess 120, 45–63 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-005-9048-x

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