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Solubilization and Adsolubilization of Polar and Nonpolar Organic Solutes by Linker Molecules and Extended Surfactants

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Journal of Surfactants and Detergents

Abstract

Adsolubilization reaches its maximum when a surfactant adsorbed onto the solid–liquid interface achieves complete bilayer or maximum adsorption. The attempt to enhance the adsolubilization of organic solute is accomplished by increasing interaction between the hydrophobic core of adsorbed admicelles and the organic solute. Solubilization and adsolubilization were studied with linker-based and extended-surfactant-based systems. Extended surfactants have propylene oxide (PO) groups of intermediate polarity inserted between hydrophobic and lipophilic moieties in the surfactant molecule. This study evaluated the adsolubilization of polar (phenylethanol) and nonpolar (ethylcyclohexane) solutes into conventional linker-based and extended-surfactant-based admicelles. The results demonstrated that the extended-surfactant-based systems showed higher solubilization capacity than the conventional sodium dodecyl sulfate alone or with linker. For the polar solute, the presence of PO group has a greater effect than the number of PO groups or the tail length, while for the nonpolar solute as the number of POs groups and the tail length increased, the adsolubilization capacity also increased. Preliminary explanations for these observations are provided.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support for this work was provided by the National Center of Excellent for Environmental and Hazardous Waste Management (NCE-EHWM), Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. In addition, financial support for this research was received from the 90th Year Anniversary of Chulalongkorn University (Ratchadphiseksomphot Endowment Fund), Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. In additional, financial support for this research was received from the industrial sponsors of the IASR, University of Oklahoma, including Akzo Noble, Clorox, Conoco/Phillips, Church & Dwigth, Ecolab, Halliburton, Dow Chemical, Huntsman, Oxiteno, Procter & Gamble, Sasol and Shell. Finally, funds from the Sun Oil Company Chair (D.A. Sabatini) at the University of Oklahoma helped support this research. We thank Geoff Russell from SASOL Company for providing us with the extended surfactants samples for this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Research Center for Environmental and Hazardous Waste Management, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

    Ampira Charoensaeng

  2. School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA

    David A. Sabatini

  3. Department of Environmental Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

    Sutha Khaodhiar

Authors
  1. Ampira Charoensaeng
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  2. David A. Sabatini
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  3. Sutha Khaodhiar
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Correspondence to Sutha Khaodhiar.

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Charoensaeng, A., Sabatini, D.A. & Khaodhiar, S. Solubilization and Adsolubilization of Polar and Nonpolar Organic Solutes by Linker Molecules and Extended Surfactants. J Surfact Deterg 12, 209–217 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11743-009-1113-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11743-009-1113-y

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