Surfactant Solutions (surfactant + solution)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Chemistry


Selected Abstracts


Photochemical treatment of a mixed PAH/surfactant solution for surfactant recovery and reuse

ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, Issue 4 2001
Youn-Joo An
Because of their hydrophobic nature, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are generally thought to be unavailable to in situ remediation processes, and solubilization of PAHs by surfactants is usually recommended. However, mixed PAH/surfactant solutions are wastewaters that need a post-treatment after solubilization. In this study, mixed solutions of PAH and perfluorinated surfactant (PFS) were photochemically treated with and without hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and the subsequent recovery and reuse of surfactant solutions were demonstrated. Phenanthrene and pyrene were selected as representative PAHs and lithium perfluorooctanesulfonate (LiFOS) as a PFS. Direct photolysis (UV only) and UV/H2O2 process enhanced the PAH degradation in LiFOS solutions compared to water. Both treatment processes selectively degraded PAHs without damaging PFS, suggesting that PFS withstands photolysis. Overall, it is demonstrated that UV and UV/H2O2 processes of mixed PAH/PFS solutions are effective for surfactant recovery/reuse, as well as PAH degradation. [source]


Spontaneous Organization of Uniform CeO2 Nanoflowers by 3D Oriented Attachment in Hot Surfactant Solutions Monitored with an In Situ Electrical Conductance Technique

CHEMISTRY - A EUROPEAN JOURNAL, Issue 11 2008
Huan-Ping Zhou
Abstract Uniform CeO2 nanoflowers were synthesized by rapid thermolysis of (NH4)2Ce(NO3)6 in oleic acid (OA)/oleylamine (OM), by a unique 3D oriented-attachment mechanism. CeO2 nanoflowers with controlled shape (cubic, four-petaled, and starlike) and tunable size (10,40,nm) were obtained by adjusting the reaction conditions including solvent composition, precursor concentration, reaction temperature, and reaction time. The nanoflower growth mechanism was investigated by in situ electrical conductance measurements, transmission electron microscopy, and UV/Vis spectroscopy. The CeO2 nanoflowers are likely formed in two major steps, that is, initial formation of ceria cluster particles capped with various ligands (e.g., OA, OM, and NO3,) via hydrolysis of (NH4)2Ce(NO3)6 at temperatures in the range 140,220,°C, and subsequent spontaneous organization of the primary particles into nanoflowers by 3D oriented attachment, due to a rapid decrease in surface ligand coverage caused by sudden decomposition of the precursor at temperatures above 220,°C in a strong redox reaction. After calcination at 400,°C for 4,h the 33.8,nm CeO2 nanoflowers have a specific surface area as large as 156,m2,g,1 with high porosity, and they are highly active for conversion of CO to CO2 in the low temperature range of 200,400,°C. The present approach has also been extended to the preparation of other transition metal oxide (CoO, NiO, and CuOx) nanoflowers. [source]


Dynamic Surface Tensions of Fluorous Surfactant Solutions

CHINESE JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY, Issue 4 2005
Gao Yan-An
Abstract Dynamic surface properties of aqueous solutions of cationic fluorous surfactant CF3CF2CF2O(CF(CF3)CF2O)2CF(CF3)CONH(CH2)3N+(C2H5)2CH3I - (abbrev. FC-4 ) were reported. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) (3.6×10 -5 mol/L) and equilibrium surface tensions ,eq were measured by Krüss K12 tension apparatus. Dynamic surface tension ,(t) was measured in the range of 15 ms to 200 s using the MBP tensiometer. The surface excess ,, as a function of concentration, was obtained from equilibrium tensiometry using the Gibbs equation. Data from these experiments were combined to analyze the ,(t) decays according to the asymptotic Ward and Tordai equation. The results show that at the initial adsorption stage, the dynamic surface tension data were all consistent with this diffusion-controlled mechanism, and at the end of the adsorption process, there were some evidences for an adsorption barrier, suggesting a mixed diffusion-controlled adsorption mechanism. Using measured quantities, the barrier strength was estimated as between 25 and 35 kJ/mol at 25 °C. The surface pressure plays an important role in contributing to the barrier. [source]


Response of bacterial community during bioremediation of an oil-polluted soil,

JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2003
M. Zucchi
Abstract Aim: To study the response of the bacterial community to bioremediation of a soil with an aged contamination of crude oil. Methods and Results: The bacterial community in laboratory soil columns during a 72-day biostimulation treatment was followed by analysing the number of total cultivable hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, soil respiratory activity and the 16S,23S rDNA internal transcribed spacer homoduplex heteroduplex polymorphisms (ITS-HHP) of total soil bacterial DNA. ITS-HHP permits an estimate of both length and sequence polymorphism in a 16S,23S rDNA spacer population, using to advantage the homoduplex and heteroduplex fragments that are generated during PCR. The treatment, made by air sparging and biostimulation with a mineral nutrient and surfactant solution, resulted in a 39·5% decrease of the total hydrocarbon content. Within 4 days of treatment onset the bacterial community underwent a first phase of activation that led to a substantial increase in the observable diversity. Subsequently, after a 12-day period of stability, another activation phase was observed with further shifts of the community structure and an increase in the abundance and diversity of catechol-2,3-dioxygenase (C23O) genes. Conclusions: The overall data suggest an important contribution of uncultivable bacteria to the soil bioremediation, since, during the second activation phase, the increases of the respiratory activity, bacterial diversity and C23O gene abundance and diversity were not accompanied by a corresponding increase of the cultivable bacteria number. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study shows that successive phases of activation of bacterial populations occur during a bioremediation treatment of oil-polluted soil. [source]


Rapid Expansion from Supercritical to Aqueous Solution to Produce Submicron Suspensions of Water-Insoluble Drugs

BIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRESS, Issue 3 2000
Timothy J. Young
Stable suspensions of submicron particles of cyclosporine, a water-insoluble drug, have been produced by rapid expansion from supercritical to aqueous solution (RESAS). To minimize growth of the cyclosporine particles, which would otherwise occur in the free jet expansion, the solution was sprayed into an aqueous Tween-80 (Polysorbate-80) solution. Steric stabilization by the surfactant impedes particle growth and agglomeration. The particles were an order of magnitude smaller than those produced by RESS into air without the surfactant solution. Concentrations as high as 38 mg/mL for 400,700 nm particles were achieved in a 5.0% (w/w) Tween-80 solution. [source]


Role of the Preparation Procedure in the Formation of Spherical and Monodisperse Surfactant/Polyelectrolyte Complexes

CHEMISTRY - A EUROPEAN JOURNAL, Issue 21 2007
Yuxia Luan Dr.
Abstract Complexes formed by a double-tail cationic surfactant, didodecyldimethyl ammonium bromide, and an anionic polyelectrolyte, an alternating copolymer of poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid) in its sodium salt form, were investigated with respect to variation in the charge ratio (x) between the polyelectrolyte negative charges and the surfactant positive charges. The morphology and microstructure of the complexes were studied by light microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering for different preparation conditions. Independent of the sample preparation procedure and the charge ratio x, the X-ray results show that the microscopic structure of the complexes is a condensed lamellar phase. By contrast, the morphology of the complexes changes dramatically with the preparation procedure. The complexes formed by mixing a surfactant solution and a polyelectrolyte solution strongly depend on x and are always extremely heterogeneous in size and shape. Surprisingly, we show that, when the two solutions interdiffuse slowly, spherical complexes of micrometric and rather uniform size are systematically obtained, independently on the initial relative amount of surfactant and polyelectrolyte. The mechanism for the formation of these peculiar complexes is discussed. [source]


Effect of Sodium Halide on Dynamic Surface Tension of a Cationic Surfactant

CHINESE JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY, Issue 8 2005
Lü Feng-Feng
Abstract The equilibrium and dynamic surface tension (DST) of the novel cationic surfactant, 3-(p -nonylphenoxy)-2-hydroxylpropyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, abbreviated as RTAB, were studied. The effect of sodium halide such as NaCl, NaBr and NaI on the DST behavior of the RTAB solution below its CMC was studied in detail. Due to the preferential adsorption, the effect of hydration and salting out, the ability to reduce the DST values at the same concentration was in the order of NaI>NaBr>NaCl. Attributed to its high surface activity, the equilibrium time of the DST of the surfactant solution was insensitive to the ionic strength. [source]


Photochemical treatment of a mixed PAH/surfactant solution for surfactant recovery and reuse

ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, Issue 4 2001
Youn-Joo An
Because of their hydrophobic nature, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are generally thought to be unavailable to in situ remediation processes, and solubilization of PAHs by surfactants is usually recommended. However, mixed PAH/surfactant solutions are wastewaters that need a post-treatment after solubilization. In this study, mixed solutions of PAH and perfluorinated surfactant (PFS) were photochemically treated with and without hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and the subsequent recovery and reuse of surfactant solutions were demonstrated. Phenanthrene and pyrene were selected as representative PAHs and lithium perfluorooctanesulfonate (LiFOS) as a PFS. Direct photolysis (UV only) and UV/H2O2 process enhanced the PAH degradation in LiFOS solutions compared to water. Both treatment processes selectively degraded PAHs without damaging PFS, suggesting that PFS withstands photolysis. Overall, it is demonstrated that UV and UV/H2O2 processes of mixed PAH/PFS solutions are effective for surfactant recovery/reuse, as well as PAH degradation. [source]


Fractionated extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from polluted soils: estimation of the PAH fraction degradable through bioremediation

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 3 2004
S. Thiele-Bruhn
Summary Chemical extractions were tested to estimate the fraction of 15 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in polluted soils degradable through bioremediation. Of 30 soil samples, differing in PAH concentrations, from 10 long-term polluted sites, four were used in screening tests conducted with 14 different extractants. PAH extractability increased in the order salt solutions < surfactant solutions < organic solvents and organic solvent,water mixtures. Closest correlations (r = 0.73,0.91) and ratios of c. 1:1 of the extracted to the degradable PAH concentrations were found with aqueous solutions of two surfactants (Genapol UDD 88, Synperonic LF/RA 30). The PAH extractability by surfactant solutions increased with surfactant concentration (0,50 mg ml,1) and with decreasing degree of PAH condensation (6,2 rings). Kinetic behaviour of PAH solubilization by surfactants resembled the kinetics of PAH degradation (r = 0.84,0.99). With repeated extractions, a finite fraction of PAHs was extracted, which is thought to be the mobile and mobilizable PAH fraction, the latter being controlled by back-diffusion from intra- and inter-particle sites. Experiments with all 30 soil samples and a priori testing with an additional 10 soil samples confirmed that single extractions with surfactant solutions (5 mg ml,1; soil:solution ratio 1:20) were suitable for estimating the degradable fraction of PAHs in soil. With separate linear regression equations for PAHs grouped according to their degree of condensation, the extracted concentrations described the degradable concentrations with correlation coefficients (r) ranging from 0.62 to 0.80 (P < 0.001). PAH extractions with the surfactant solutions can be used to assess the prospects of bioremediation of PAH-polluted sites. [source]


REACH-driven developments in analysis and physicochemistry,

FLAVOUR AND FRAGRANCE JOURNAL, Issue 3 2010
A. Chaintreau
Abstract The enforcement of the REACH regulation in the fragrance domain has created new challenges for the analytical and physical chemist. Many chemicals used as perfumery ingredients are hydrophobic, because low-polar compounds exhibit a higher substantivity (i.e. persistence after application) than do polar compounds. As a result, the usual protocols are often unsuitable and new methods must be developed. Biodegradation studies sometimes call for the quantification of traces of such hydrophobic analytes in complex media (e.g. waste water, aqueous surfactant solutions). Existing sample preparation techniques are either inefficient or time consuming. A new approach is proposed, based on single-use absorbants, which allows accurate quantification down to the 100 ppb range. This extremely simple technique allows good throughput analyses. Determining the environmental profile of a compound requires the determination of some physical constants. Among these, solubility in water can be obtained from theoretical models or experimentally, but the resulting values may greatly differ as a function of the model or the protocol. Several experimental approaches are critically discussed and compared with a reference technique. The air-to-water partition coefficients are determined by using an improved version of the previously developed static-and-trapped headspace technique. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Effect of surfactants and liquid hydrocarbons on gas hydrate formation rate and storage capacity

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 8 2003
Zhigao Sun
Abstract Hydrate formation rate plays an important role in making hydrates for the storage and transport of natural gas. Micellar surfactant solutions were found to increase gas hydrate formation rate and storage capacity. With the presence of surfactant, hydrate could form quickly in a quiescent system and the energy costs of hydrate formation reduced. Surfactants (an anionic surfactant, a non-ionic surfactant and their mixtures) and liquid hydrocarbons (cyclopentane and methylcyclohexane) were used to improve hydrate formation. The experiments of hydrate formation were carried out in the pressure range 3.69,6.82 MPa and the temperature range 274.05,277.55 K. The experimental pressures were kept constant during hydrate formation in each experimental run. The effect of anionic surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS)) on natural gas storage in hydrates is more pronounced compared to a non-ionic surfactant (dodecyl polysaccharide glycoside (DPG)). The induction time of hydrate formation was reduced with the presence of cyclopentane (CP). Cyclopentane and methylcyclohexane (MCH) could increase hydrate formation rate, but reduced hydrate storage capacity The higher methylcyclohexane concentration, the lower the hydrate storage capacity. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Cell removal with supercritical carbon dioxide for acellular artificial tissue

JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 6 2008
K. Sawada
Abstract BACKGROUND: The objective of this work was to decellularize artificial tissue without using surfactant solutions. For this purpose, supercritical carbon dioxide was used as the extraction medium. RESULTS: Supercritical carbon dioxide containing a small amount of entrainer was a suitable medium to extract both cell nuclei and cell membranes from artificial tissue. Under gentle extraction conditions (15 MPa, 37 °C), cell nuclei were satisfactorily extracted from tissue within 1 h. In contrast, the efficiency of phospholipid removal depended strongly on the transfer rate of carbon dioxide in the interior of the tissue. Mechanical strength of tissue was not decreased even with prolonged treatment. CONCLUSION: Acellular artificial tissues could be prepared quickly by treatment with a carbon dioxide/entrainer system. The prepared acellular tissue could be obtained in absolutely dry condition. This is advantageous from the viewpoint of long-term preservation without putrefaction and contamination. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry [source]


The conformation of fusogenic B18 peptide in surfactant solutions,

JOURNAL OF PEPTIDE SCIENCE, Issue 4 2008
Sandra Rocha
Abstract The interaction of B18 peptide with surfactants has been studied by circular dichroism spectroscopy and fluorescence measurements. B18 is the fusogenic motif of the fertilization sea urchin protein. The peptide forms an ,-helix structure when interacting with positively or negatively charged surfactants below and above the critical micellar concentration (CMC). The ,-helix formation is due to binding of surfactant monomers rather than the formation of surfactant micelles on the peptide. Fluorescence measurements show that the CMC of the negatively charged surfactant increases in the presence of B18, supporting the fact that there is a strong interaction between the peptide and monomers. Nonionic surfactant monomers have no effect on the peptide structure, whereas the micelles induce an ,-helical conformation. In this case the helix stabilization results from the formation of surfactant micelles on the peptide. Copyright © 2007 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Carbon Nanotube-Adsorbed Electrospun Nanofibrous Membranes of Nylon 6

MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS, Issue 2 2006
Hyun Suk Kim
Abstract Summary: A simple and mass-producible method was developed to densely assemble multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) onto electrospun nylon 6 nanofibrous membranes. The process consists of dispersing the acid-treated MWNTs in surfactant solutions or organic solvents, and dipping the nanofibrous membranes in the resulting dispersion for only 60 seconds, followed by the extraction of the surfactants in pure water and drying. The conductivity of the MWNT-adsorbed nanofibrous membranes ranges from 2.2,×,10,2 to 1.5,×,10,1 S,·,cm,1, as determined by the four probe method, which implies that the MWNTs are adsorbed uniformly and densely along the nanofibrous membranes. Furthermore, the results suggest that there is a strong interaction between the acid-treated MWNTs and nylon 6. We also investigate the amount of MWNTs present in the membranes using thermogravimetric analysis. SEM images of the non-woven fibrous nylon 6 membranes after dip-coating in a dispersion of the MWNTs in surfactant-containing water. [source]


Pulsed field gradient NMR investigation of solubilization equilibria in amino acid and dipeptide terminated micellar and polymeric surfactant solutions

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IN CHEMISTRY, Issue 12 2002
Robin S. Hickok
Abstract Pulsed field gradient NMR spectroscopy was used to investigate the association of toluene, chlorobenzene and benzyl alcohol with amino acid and dipeptide terminated polymerized surfactants (PS). The diffusion coefficient for each probe was measured in the presence and absence of the polymers and the mole fraction of bound probe molecules, fb, was calculated. For all solutions investigated, the probes associated more strongly with unpolymerized surfactant micelles than with corresponding PS. For example, the toluene fb values for association with sodium undecanoyl valinate micelles and the PS poly(sodium undecanoyl valinate) were 0.88 and 0.15, respectively. The relatively weak probe,polymer association was attributed to the polarity and fluidity of the polymers' hydrocarbon cores and to the fact that these PS have smaller aggregation numbers than the corresponding unpolymerized surfactant micelles. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Analysis and measurement of carbon nanotube dispersions: nanodispersion versus macrodispersion

POLYMER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 10 2010
Micah J Green
Abstract Because of their unique mechanical, optical, thermal and electrical properties, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) form the basis for a wide variety of multifunctional devices and materials; many of these applications require that CNTs be dispersed and processed in liquids such as organic solvents, polymer melts or surfactant solutions. One of the most problematic issues affecting the CNT research community is the lack of standards and uniform characterization methods for CNT dispersion. A 2005 NASA-NIST workshop aimed to address this issue and made a clear distinction between ,nanodispersion' of individual CNTs and ,macrodispersion' of CNT bundles. Unfortunately, this distinction has yet to percolate through the CNT dispersion literature. The present article seeks to elucidate and commend these concepts, identify the situations where this difference is most critical, note some scenarios where these concepts have been underutilized and posit experimental and computational characterization methods for quantifying the degree of nanodispersion. Particular attention is devoted to the controversial claims of complete nanodispersion and how such claims may be verified. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry [source]


Use of a whole-cell biosensor to assess the bioavailability enhancement of aromatic hydrocarbon compounds by nonionic surfactants

BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOENGINEERING, Issue 1 2008
Angela Keane
Abstract The whole-cell bioluminescent biosensor Pseudomonas putida F1G4 (PpF1G4), which contains a chromosomally-based sep-lux transcriptional fusion, was used as a tool for direct measurement of the bioavailability of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) partitioned into surfactant micelles. The increased bioluminescent response of PpF1G4 in micellar solutions (up to 10 times the critical micellar concentration) of Triton X-100 and Brij 35 indicated higher intracellular concentrations of the test compounds, toluene, naphthalene, and phenanthrene, compared to control systems with no surfactants present. In contrast, Brij 30 caused a decrease in the bioluminescent response to the test compounds in single-solute systems, without adversely affecting cell growth. The decrease in bioluminescent response in the presence of Brij 30 did not occur in the presence of multiple HOCs extracted into the surfactant solutions from crude oil and creosote. The effect of the micellar solutions on the toluene biodegradation rate was consistent with the bioluminescent response in single-solute systems. None of the surfactants were toxic to PpF1G4 at the doses employed in this study, and PpF1G4 did not produce a bioluminescent response to the surfactants nor utilize them as growth substrates. TEM images suggest that the surfactants did not rupture the cell membranes. The results demonstrate that for Pseudomonas putida F1, nonionic surfactants such as Triton X-100 and Brij 35, at doses between 2 and 10 CMC, may increase the bioavailability and direct uptake of micellar phase HOCs that are common pollutants at contaminated sites. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2008;99: 86,98. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]