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Title: ALKYLPHENOL ETHOXYLATES AND DEGRADATES IN NATURAL WATERS

Author
item LOYO-ROSALES, JORGE - UNIV. OF MARYLAND
item Rice, Clifford
item TORRENTS, ALBA - UNIV. OF MARYLAND

Submitted to: Annual Aircraft and Airfield Deicing Conference and Exposition
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/5/2003
Publication Date: 10/5/2003
Citation: Loyo-Rosales, J., Rice, C., Torrents, A. 2003. Alkylphenol ethoxylates and degradates in natural waters [abstract]. 12th Annual Aircraft and Airfield Deicing Conference and Exposition. October 5-7, 2003, p. 67.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The surfactant, alkylphenol ethoxylates (APE), is widely distributed in the aquatic environment. The primary source is discharges from waste water treatment plants (WWTP) where it is released in degraded forms that are more hazardous than the original manufactured products. A newly reported source of discharge of APEs is from airport deicer operations. Among the harmful effects of the degraded forms of alkylphenol ethoxylates are both acute toxic actions and endocrine disrupting activities. The most active metabolites causing these harmful effects are the products where all of the ethoxy polymer groups are removed, yielding the base structure either octyl- or nonylphenol. Examination of waste streams that discharge from WWTP or deicer outfalls shows a progressive loss of ethoxy groups that produce the octyl and nonylphenol base structures as well a low ethoxy-substituted forms with lesser toxicities. These products are observed to increase with increasing distances from the sources; however, a complete understanding of all the processes and products that are formed is not known at this time.