Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2026

09:34
Extraction and Characterization of Surfactants from Atmospheric Aerosols
Published on: April 21, 2017
Influence of surfactants on pyrene desorption and degradation in soils
Applied and Environmental Microbiology
|January 1, 1996
Abstract:
Four surfactants were tested at five concentrations to determine their abilities to solubilize soil-adsorbed pyrene. Inoculation with pyrene degraders in the presence of the surfactant Witconol SN70 was the most effective treatment for pyrene mineralization (46 to 80%) under unsaturated conditions, but the surfactant inhibited the effectiveness of these inoculants in soil slurries.
Related Concept Videos
Microbial Bioremediation of Pesticides
Pesticides often feature structurally complex chemical architectures, incorporating halogen groups and multiple aromatic rings. These characteristics confer high chemical stability, rendering many pesticides resistant to natural degradation processes. This resistance poses significant environmental concerns, as persistent pesticide residues can accumulate in ecosystems and affect non-target organisms.Despite the inherent stability of many pesticides, certain microorganisms possess the metabolic...
Surface Active Agents
Surfactants, named for their behavior at interfaces, positively adsorb at the interfaces of two phases, reducing interfacial tension. Their versatility as emulsifiers, detergents, and foaming agents stems from this ability. Surfactants, often termed amphiphiles, share the property of amphipathy, with molecules having both hydrophilic and hydrophobic portions. The hydrophilic part is called the head, and the hydrophobic part, including an elongated alkyl substituent, forms the tail.Surfactants...
Microbial Bioremediation of Hydrocarbons
Bioremediation is an environmentally sustainable process that employs living organisms—primarily microorganisms—to degrade or neutralize pollutants from contaminated environments. In oil spills and hydrocarbon pollution, bioremediation involves the use of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria to transform toxic compounds into less harmful substances. This approach leverages natural microbial metabolic processes and is considered both cost-effective and ecologically favorable compared to physical or...
Factors Affecting Dissolution: Particle Size and Effective Surface Area
Dissolution kinetics, an essential aspect of oral drug delivery, is significantly influenced by the drug's particle size. According to the Noyes-Whitney dissolution model, the dissolution rate correlates directly with the drug's surface area. The larger the surface area, the higher the drug's solubility in water, leading to a faster drug dissolution rate. Reducing particle size increases the effective surface area, enhancing the dissolution process. Micronization and nanosizing are employed to...

