Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Efficient Synthesis of Polyfunctionalized Benzenes in Water via Persulfate-promoted Benzannulation of α,β-Unsaturated Compounds and Alkynes
Published on: December 16, 2019
Molecular structure and biodegradation kinetics of linear alkylbenzene sulphonates in sea water
Jose A Perales1, Manuel A Manzano, M Carmen Garrido
1Area of Environmental Technologies, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cadiz, Campus de Puerto Real, 11500 Puerto Real, Cadiz, Spain. joseantonio.perales@uca.es
Abstract:
The present paper describes the results of the application of the biodegradation test proposed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) "Biodegradability in sea water" Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances (OPPTS) 835.3160, to Linear Alkylbenzene Sulphonate (LAS), the synthetic surfactant with the highest consumption volume on a world-wide basis. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been employed for the separation and quantification of the different homologues and isomers of the surfactant. Water from the Bay of Cádiz (South-West of the Iberian peninsula) has been used as test medium. The results indicate how both lag and t (50) time shows a significant linear relationship with the length of the alkyl chain of the homologue; the effect of this is that the homologues of longer chain length not only begin to degrade first but also degrade at a faster rate. Regarding the isomeric composition, it is observed that as the percentage of biodegradation increases, there is an increase in the proportion of internal isomers, in comparison with the isomeric relationships of the original test substance.
Related Concept Videos
Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution: Sulfonation of Benzene
Microbial Bioremediation of Hydrocarbons
Surface Active Agents
Preparation and Reactions of Sulfides
Esters to Carboxylic Acids: Saponification
The reaction requires a base in stoichiometric amounts, which participates in the reaction and is not regenerated later. So, the base acts as a...
Microbial Bioremediation of Pesticides

