%0 Journal Article
%T Occurrence of Surface Active Agents in the Environment
%A Ewa Olkowska
%A Marek Ruman
%A £¿aneta Polkowska
%J Journal of Analytical Methods in Chemistry
%D 2014
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2014/769708
%X Due to the specific structure of surfactants molecules they are applied in different areas of human activity (industry, household). After using and discharging from wastewater treatment plants as effluent stream, surface active agents (SAAs) are emitted to various elements of the environment (atmosphere, waters, and solid phases), where they can undergo numerous physic-chemical processes (e.g., sorption, degradation) and freely migrate. Additionally, SAAs present in the environment can be accumulated in living organisms (bioaccumulation), what can have a negative effect on biotic elements of ecosystems (e.g., toxicity, disturbance of endocrine equilibrium). They also cause increaseing solubility of organic pollutants in aqueous phase, their migration, and accumulation in different environmental compartments. Moreover, surfactants found in aerosols can affect formation and development of clouds, which is associated with cooling effect in the atmosphere and climate changes. The environmental fate of SAAs is still unknown and recognition of this problem will contribute to protection of living organisms as well as preservation of quality and balance of various ecosystems. This work contains basic information about surfactants and overview of pollution of different ecosystems caused by them (their classification and properties, areas of use, their presence, and behavior in the environment). 1. Introduction Surface active agents (SAAs, surfactants) are a group of compounds with specific chemical composition of their molecules (one part soluble in polar medium: hydrophilic and second in nonpolar medium: hydrophobic). The main classification of surfactants is based on charge of hydrophilic part of their molecules: cationic, anionic, and nonionic compounds [1]. Occurrence of polar and nonpolar parts in the SAAs molecules gives them special properties against different medium. Surfactants are characterized by tendency to absorb at different types of surfaces or interfaces. Another property of the SAAs is ability to association in solution and formation of micelles [2]. During the process of formulation micelles surface active agents are adsorbed at boundary phases to remove hydrophobic parts from water to reduce energy of system [3]. Due to the specific chemical structure of surfactants molecules they are applied in different areas of human activity. During formulation of households or industrial products compounds from the group of surfactants are used because their presence leads to improving efficiency of the following
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jamc/2014/769708/