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Impact of sediment partitioning methods on environmental safety assessment of surfactants
Author(s) -
Orth Robert G.,
Powell Rebecca L.,
Kutey Greg,
Kimerle Richard A.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
environmental toxicology and chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.1
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1552-8618
pISSN - 0730-7268
DOI - 10.1002/etc.5620140220
Subject(s) - ceriodaphnia dubia , environmental chemistry , partition coefficient , sediment , environmental science , toxicity , pulmonary surfactant , chemistry , acute toxicity , chromatography , geology , paleontology , biochemistry , organic chemistry
Selection of laboratory methods for partitioning and toxicity tests of sediments has a significant impact on interpretation of aquatic safety of surfactants. This is the case for the assessment of the sediment toxicity of C 12 linear alkylbenzene sulfonates, LAS. In this study, the batch‐equilibrium partition coefficient ( K d ) was measured as a function of organic carbon, cation exchange capacity, and quantity of sediments. The quantity of sediment was varied from a low of 5 g per 1,000 ml of water to a level of 500 g to 500 ml of water. The measured K d decreased by an order of magnitude when the ratio of water to sediments increased to 1:1, and as a consequence of this observation, LAS on suspended solids was included in the quantitaton of LAS in the water phase. When measured K d values were then used to predict the toxicity (based on known aquatic toxicity concentrations of LAS using Ceriodaphnia dubia ), LAS was calculated to be an order of magnitude less toxic by the low‐solids test compared to the high‐solids test system. This work reaffirms that selection of a laboratory test to assess environmental safety must be made on the basis of its correlation to the real‐world behavior of the surfactant.