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Alkylphenol ethoxylates in the environment

  • Published:
Journal of the American Oil Chemists Society

Abstract

A comprehensive monitoring study, sponsored by the Chemical Manufacturers Association and designed in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), measured the levels of nonylphenol (NP) and its ethoxylates (NPE) in 30 rivers. The sites, all receiving municipal or industrial wastewater, were selected at random from EPA’s United States river reach database by a statistical procedure. Water column and bottom sediment samples were collected along a perpendicular transect at each site. All samples were assayed for NP and NPE1, and the higher ethoxylates (NPE2 to NPE17) were determined in the water samples. Analysis was by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection of microgram quantities of NPE obtained by extractive steam distillation (NP and NPE1) or a dualcolumn extraction procedure (NPE2 to NPE17). Sample collection and analytical procedures were validated according to rigorous EPA guidelines, and quality assurance standards were met throughout the study. NP and NPE concentrations in river water were mostly (60 to 75% of the samples) below their detection limits (about 0.1 ppb for NP, NPE1, and NPE2; 1.6 ppb for NPE3–17). The highest levels found were about 1 ppb for NP, NPE1, and NPE2, 15 ppb for NPE3–17. A majority of sediment samples contained detectable amounts of NP and NPE1, ranging up to 3000 ppb for NP and 170 ppb for NPE1. Sediment interstitial water concentrations of NP were estimated to be similar to concentrations in the water column.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. William J. Adams

    Present address: ABC Laboratories, P.O. Box 1097, 65205, Columbia, MO

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Texaco Chemical Company, 78761, Austin, Texas

    Carter G. Naylor

  2. Monsanto Company, 63167, St. Louis, Missour

    James P. Mieure & William J. Adams

  3. Labat-Anderson, Inc., 37830, Oak Ridge, Tennessee

    John A. Weeks

  4. Radian Corporation, 78720-1088, Austin, Texas

    Frank J. Castaldi & Larry D. Ogle

  5. Chemical Manufacturers Association, 20037, Washington, District of Columbia

    Robert R. Romano

Authors
  1. Carter G. Naylor
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  2. James P. Mieure
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  3. William J. Adams
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  4. John A. Weeks
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  5. Frank J. Castaldi
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  6. Larry D. Ogle
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  7. Robert R. Romano
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Additional information

A portion of this paper was presented at the 1991 Annual AOCS Meeting in Chicago

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Naylor, C.G., Mieure, J.P., Adams, W.J. et al. Alkylphenol ethoxylates in the environment. J Am Oil Chem Soc 69, 695–703 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02635812

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02635812

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