Biodegradation of technical mixtures of oxyethylenated aliphatic alcohols in an aqueous environment

A study of the biodegradability of nonionogenic surfactants of oxyethylenated n-butyl, isobutyl, n-pentyl and isopentyl alcohols was conducted by modified static test according to International Standard Organization method 9888. Degradation was evaluated by changes in concentrations of individual oligomers, ethylene glycols, carboxylic and dicarboxylic acids. Good biological degradability was found, with a “primary” degradability of 75–98% in 10 days. Obtained results, in agreement with our previous work, proved the dominant proportion of degradative scission in the hydrophile part of surfactant molecule. During biological degradation no significant cumulation of mono- to polyethylene glycols appeared neither that of mono- or dicarboxylic acids, and degradation of these components was not a rate-determining degradation factor.