Premium
Identification of polyoxyalkylene‐type nonionic surfactants by paper chromatography
Author(s) -
Selden George L.,
Benedict J. H.
Publication year - 1968
Publication title -
journal of the american oil chemists' society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1558-9331
pISSN - 0003-021X
DOI - 10.1007/bf02541249
Subject(s) - nonionic surfactant , chemistry , sorbitan , alkyl , organic chemistry , phenol , solvent , chromatography , fatty acid , pulmonary surfactant , peg ratio , fatty acid ester , biochemistry , finance , economics
Despite the increasing importance of nonionic surfactants, methods for their identification have been limited to specific groups. Accordingly, a general analytical scheme for the identification of polyoxyalkylene‐type nonionic surfactants was developed, which uses qualitative tests and two paper chromatographic solvent systems. This procedure differentiates among the ethoxylates of alcohols, thioalcohols, alkyl phenol, fatty acids, polyoxyethylene polyoxypropylene acids, sorbitan fatty esters, fatty amides, polyoxyethylene glycols (PEG) condensates. In addition, individual members of a class can be separated and identified. The method is applicable to a variety of detergent products and to mixtures of more than one nonionic. As little as 7 mg of a nonionic surfactant are sufficient for complete characterization.