doi: 10.18178/ijesd.2019.10.5.1161
Assessment of the Biodegradability and Ecotoxicty of a Nonylphenol Ethoxylate Surfactant in Littoral Waters
J. M. Quiroga1
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- 1the Area of Environmental Technologies, CACYTMAR, Campus of Puerto Real. Poligono Rio San Pedro s/n. 11510 Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain
- 2Area of Environmental Technologies, CACYTMAR, Campus of Puerto Real, Poligono Rio San Pedro s/n. 11510 Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain
Abstract
Biodegradability and ecotoxicity of the nonionic surfactant Tergitol<sup>®</sup> NP9 were studied in sea water samples collected from the Gulf of Cadiz (Spain). In order to study the biodegradation process we followed the guideline 835.3160 “Biodegradability in sea water” proposed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Growth inhibition tests on different marine microalgae species and mortality tests on a marine crustacean (<em>Artemia franciscana</em>) were carried out. Biodegradation process was modelled according to a first order kinetic model. Lag time and half-life were 0.75 and 4.95 days, respectively, which indicates that Tergitol<sup>®</sup> NP9 can be mineralised in sea water. Depending on the microalgae, 96-h EC<sub>50</sub> values ranged from 3.45 to 25.82 mg L<sup>-1</sup>. 48-h and 72-h LC<sub>50</sub> to<em> A. franciscana</em> were 41.2 and 30.34 mg L<sup>-1</sup>, respectively. Marine crustacean was more resistant than the microalgae. Surfactant tolerance on microalgae followed this order:<em> T. chuii </em>> <em>D. salina</em> > <em>N. gaditana</em> ><em> I. galbana</em> ≈ <em>C. gracilis</em>.
Keywords
- NPEO
- surfactant
- biodegradation
- toxicity
- sea water
- microalga
- A franciscana
How to Cite
J. M. Quiroga, M. C. Garrido, L. I. Romero, D. Sales Márquez, and J. A. Perales, "Assessment of the Biodegradability and Ecotoxicty of a Nonylphenol Ethoxylate Surfactant in Littoral Waters," International Journal of Environmental Science and Development, vol. 10, no. 5, pp. 130-136, 2019. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijesd.2019.10.5.1161
Copyright & License
Copyright © 2019 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).