Metabolism of some anionic tallow-based detergents by sewage microorganisms.
A method in which the test detergent was the sole source of carbon was used to study the metabolism of several tallow-based detergents. These were tallow alcohol sulfates, long-chain ether alcohol sulfates, and esters of alpha-sulfo fatty acids. Sodium p-(1-methylundecyl)benzenesulfonate (LAS) was used as a reference material. The alcohol sulfates were the most rapidly and completely metabolized (96 to 99%), and one ether alcohol sulfate was 94% degraded. The other compounds were metabolized to the extent of 61 to 87%; LAS was 80% degraded. Except for the alcohol sulfates, loss of methylene blue activity (MBAS) occurred long before the chemical oxygen demand (COD) values had reached a minimum; with the alcohol sulfates, MBAS and COD decreased simultaneously.
D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D003902:Detergents / Q000378:metabolism*; D005223:Fats; D012722:Sewage; D013431:Sulfates / Q000378:metabolism
D003902:Detergents; D005223:Fats; D012722:Sewage; D013431:Sulfates