Surfactant Properties and Biodegradation of Polyethoxylates from Phenolic Lipids

摘要

The surface tension of aqueous solutions of cardanol and cardol polyethoxylates derived from technical cashew nut-shell liquid were examined to determine their relative surfactancy.The compositions with the greatest surface tension reduction,or optimal surfactancy,were selected for biodegradation testing,in terms of total organic carbon,using a soil inoculum.The experimental surfactants in this study were compared with commercial t-nonyl polyethoxylate and glucose as reference materials.Over a period of 28 d,cardanol polyethoxylate and its saturated analog were degraded to 17 and 25%,respectively,and cardol polyethoxylate and its saturated analog were degraded approximately half that extent(37 and 46%).t-Nonylphenyl polyethoxylate remained substantially undegraded(77%),whereas glucose was almost completely degraded(5%).