Effect of some petroleum sulfonate surfactants on the apparent water solubility of organic compounds

Journal Article · Thu Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1990 · Environmental Science and Technology; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00072a008· OSTI ID:5394824

Kile, D E; Chiou, C T ^[1]; Helburn, R S ^[2]

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1. Geological Survey, Denver, CO (USA)
2. Colorado School of Mines, Golden (USA)

Water solubility enhancements of 1,1-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-2,2,2-trichloroethane (DDT) and 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene (TCB) by some commercial petroleum sulfonates (Petronate L, Petronate HL, and Pyronate 40) were studied at room temperature. Unlike conventional surfactants, the petroleum sulfonate surfactants are mixtures of sulfonated hydrocarbons and free mineral oils, which form stable emulsions in water and thus behave much like a bulk organic phase in concentrating organic solutes. The extent of solubility enhancement is linearly proportional to the concentration of the petroleum sulfonate-oil (PSO) emulsion, in contrast with the effect of a conventional surfactant in which a sharp inflection occurs in the vicinity of the critical micelle concentration (CMC). The enhancement effect of the PSO surfactant is 1.5-3 orders of magnitude greater than that of ordinary surfactant monomers below the CMC. The partition coefficient of the solute between the emulsified PSO phase and water (K{sub em}) is closely related to the nonpolar content of the PSO surfactant; the normalized K{sub em} values are about the same order of magnitude as the solvent (octanol)-water partition coefficients of the solutes.

• OSTI ID: 5394824
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology; (United States), Vol. 24:2; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
02 PETROLEUM
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SOLUBILITY
EMULSIONS
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
MEDIUM TEMPERATURE
PETROLEUM SULFONATES
SURFACTANTS
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
ESTERS
MATERIALS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFONATES
SULFONIC ACID ESTERS
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
020900 - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects