Page
1
of
12
UNITED
STATES
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
AGENCY
WASHINGTON,
DC
20460
OFFICE
OF
PREVENTION,
PESTICIDES,
AND
TOXIC
SUBSTANCES
March
23,
2006
MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT:
Environmental
Fate
Assessment
of
Alkylbenzene
Sulfonates
for
the
Registration
Eligibility
Document
(
RED).

TO:
Heather
Garvie,
Chemical
Review
Manager,
Reregistration
Team
36
Regulatory
Management
Branch
II
Antimicrobials
Division
(
7510C)

And
Deborah
Smegal,
Risk
Assessor
Reregistration
Branch
I
Health
Effects
Division
(
7509C)

FROM:
Talia
Milano,
Chemist,
Team
II
Risk
Assessment
and
Science
Support
Branch
(
RASSB)
Antimicrobials
Division
(
7510C)

THRU:
Norm
Cook,
Branch
Chief
Risk
Assessment
and
Science
Support
Branch
(
RASSB)
Antimicrobials
Division
(
7510C)

DP
Barcode:
323968
Case
No.:
4006
Chemical
Names
(
CAS
#)
1:

Sodium
dodecylbenzene
sulfonate
(#
25155­
30­
0),
Benzenesulfonic
acid,
C10­
16­
alkyl
derivatives
(#
68584­
22­
5),
and
Dodecylbenzene
sulfonic
acid
(#
27176­
87­
0)

1:
The
CAS
#
listed
reflect
the
current
numbering
system.
However,
dodecylbenzene
sulfonic
acid
is
not
a
pure
chemical,
and
is
considered
part
of
the
mixture
of
benzenesulfonic
acid.
A
discussion
of
this
discrepancy
can
be
found
in
the
text
and
in
the
Preliminary
Risk
Assessment.
Page
2
of
12
ENVIRONMENTAL
FATE
ASSESSMENT
OF
ALKYYLBENZENE
SULFONATES
CASE
4006
PC
CODE:
190116
3/
23/
06
Antimicrobials
Division
Office
of
Pesticide
Programs
U.
S.
Environmental
Protection
Agency
1200
Pennsylvania
Avenue,
NW
Washington,
DC
20460
Page
3
of
12
Table
of
Contents
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
         ...             ..   .. 
4
.
1.0
INTRODUCTION        ...                 ....   .
5
1.1
Purpose         ...                 ....   ....
5
1.2
Chemical
Identification          ...          ..    .
5
2.0
USE
INFORMATION        ...               ..  .. ..
6
2.1
Formulation
Type
and
Percent
Active
Ingredient ..........................................................
6
2.2
Summary
of
Use
Patterns
and
Formulations         .... .... . ...  ..
6
3.0
MODEL
RESULTS.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
                   .    ..
7
3.1
EPI
Suite
Output
for
sodium
dodecylbenzene
sulfonate    ...        
7
3.2
EPI
Suite
Output
for
DDBSA          ...            .
8
4.0
ADDITIONAL
DATA
FROM
LITERATURE
SEARCH........     ......  . .. .
9
4.1
Sodium
dodecylbenzene
sulfonate         ...  ...    ....   .
10
4.2
DDBSA         ...                 ..  .......
10
5.0
CONCLUSION           ..                  .....
11
6.0
REFERENCES            ..               .....  
12
Page
4
of
12
EXECUTIVE
SUMMARY
This
document
is
the
Environmental
Fate
Assessment
Chapter
of
the
Reregistration
Eligibility
Decision
Document
(
RED)
for
the
alkylbenzene
sulfonates.
The
currently
listed
active
ingredients
that
are
included
under
this
decision
are
sodium
dodecylbenzene
sulfonate
(
CAS
#
25155­
30­
0),
dodecylbenzene
sulfonic
acid
(
CAS
#
27176­
87­
0),
and
benzenesulfonic
acid,
C10­
C16
alkyl
derivatives
(
CAS
#
68584­
22­
5).
To
date,
dodecylbenzene
sulfonic
acid
has
been
listed
separately
from
benzenesulfonic
acid,
C10­
C16
alkyl
derivatives,
and
identified
by
the
CAS
#
27176­
87­
0
on
numerous
labels
and
in
different
databases.

The
environmental
fate
properties
of
dodecylbenzene
sulfonic
acid
are
assumed
to
be
represented
by
the
conclusions
made
pertaining
to
benzenesulfonic
acid,
C10­
C16
alkyl
derivatives.
This
is
because
dodecylbenzene
sulfonic
acid
is
not
considered
to
be
a
pure
compound,
and
is
actually
included
in
the
mixture
of
benzenesulfonic
acid,
C10­
16
alkyl
derivatives.
These
two
compounds
will
be
addressed
as
a
group,
DDBSA,
throughout
the
document.
This
issue
of
dodecylbenzene
sulfonic
acid
being
a
subsidiary
of
benzenesulfonic
acid,
C10­
16
alkyl
derivatives
is
discussed
in
more
detail
in
the
Preliminary
Risk
Assessment.

The
conclusions
presented
in
this
environmental
fate
chapter
are
based
on
the
United
States
Environmental
Protection
Agency's
(
USEPA's)
Estimation
Programs
Interface
(
EPI)
Suite
and
a
literature
search.
EPI
Suite
provides
estimations
of
physical/
chemical
properties
as
well
as
environmental
fate
properties.

Based
on
the
output
of
the
model,
sodium
dodecylbenzene
sulfonate
is
highly
unlikely
to
bioaccumulate
in
the
environment
or
aquatic
organisms
(
i.
e.
fish)
because
the
low
value
for
the
log
Kow
(
1.96).
This
also
supports
that
the
chemical
is
soluble
in
water
such
that
it
will
exhibit
mobility
through
the
soil.
In
addition,
the
low
log
Koc
(
4.22)
further
supports
the
expected
soil
mobility.
The
model­
calculated
linear
and
non­
linear
biodegradation
probabilities
suggest
that
the
linear
carbon
chain
will
biodegrade
rapidly,
whereas
the
benzene
ring
is
not
expected
to
biodegrade
as
rapidly.
The
extremely
low
vapor
pressure
along
with
the
short
half
life
of
approximately
7.9
hours
indicates
that
if
this
chemical
is
present
in
the
soil,
it
is
not
likely
to
be
volatile
and
is
expected
to
degrade
rapidly.

Based
on
the
output
of
the
model,
DDBSA
is
expected
to
behave
very
similarly
as
what
is
projected
for
sodium
dodecylbenzene
sulfonate.
Based
on
the
low
Kow
value
(
3.80),
DDBSA
is
highly
unlikely
to
bioaccumulate
in
the
environment
or
aquatic
organisms
(
i.
e.
fish).
The
chemical
is
also
expected
to
be
soluble
in
water
such
that
it
will
exhibit
mobility
through
the
soil.
In
addition,
the
log
Koc
(
3.69)
is
low,
and
this
further
supports
the
expected
soil
mobility.
The
model­
calculated
linear
and
non­
linear
biodegradation
probabilities
suggest
that
the
chemical
will
most
likely
biodegrade
rapidly.
The
extremely
low
vapor
pressure
along
with
the
short
half
life
of
approximately
9.48
hours
indicates
that
this
chemical
is
not
likely
to
be
volatile
and
is
likely
to
degrade
rapidly
in
soils.

The
output
parameters
from
the
EPI
Suite
model
support
that
potential
impacts
for
both
of
these
chemicals
are
expected
to
be
very
short­
lived.
This
is
because
they
are
not
likely
to
persist
in
Page
5
of
12
water
or
microbial
soils
and
sediments.
As
a
result,
the
environmental
fate
of
alkylbenzene
sulfonates
is
not
likely
to
be
of
a
concern.

1.0
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Purpose
In
this
document,
the
Agency
presents
the
results
of
its
review
of
the
potential
environmental
fate
of
the
alkylbenzene
sulfonates,
and
this
information
is
for
use
in
EPA's
development
of
the
Alkylbenzene
Sulfonates
Reregistration
Eligibility
Decision
Document
(
RED).

The
types
of
studies
indicated
by
the,
"
Pesticide
Assessment
Guidelines,
Subdivision
N,"
as
being
useful
for
performing
environmental
fate
assessments
are
degradation
studies,
metabolism
studies,
mobility
studies,
dissipation
studies,
and
accumulation
studies.
After
a
search
through
the
USEPA's
archives,
there
are
a
handful
of
studies
that
discuss
the
environmental
behavior
of
the
chemicals
addressed
in
this
chapter,
however
there
are
no
current
data
evaluation
reports
(
DER's)
for
the
corresponding
studies.
This
absence
of
documentation
is
supported
by
the
following
memorandum
in
USEPA's
files:

 
Memo
dated
March
2,
1993
(
DP
Barcodes
D185513
and
D185394),
with
the
subject:
"
Phase
IV
 
List
D
Chemicals;
Registration
Case
#
4006,"
indicates
that,
"
environmental
fate
assessments
can
be
generated
from
data
available
in­
house
and
from
information
published
in
the
open
chemical
literature."
In
addition
to
this
statement,
the
memo
provides
a
list
of
the
different
criteria
that
need
to
be
met
to
fulfill
the
environmental
fate
requirements.
On
the
list,
it
is
indicated
that
each
criteria
has
been
either
satisfied
or
waived
for
both
sodium
dodecylbenzene
sulfonate
(
CAS
#
25155­
30­
0)
and
dodecylbenzene
sulfonic
acid
(
CAS
#
68584­
22­
5).

In
addition
to
the
supporting
memorandum,
the
EPI
Suite
model
was
run
to
collect
the
different
environmental
properties
of
the
chemicals
addressed
in
this
case.
These
values
are
provided
in
Section
3.0,
"
Model
Results."
The
Agency
conducted
a
literature
search
to
further
support
the
output
parameters
that
were
provided
by
the
EPI
Suite
model.
The
results
of
the
literature
search
are
presented
in
Section
4.0,
"
Additional
Data
From
Literature
Search."

Minimal
or
no
environmental
exposure
is
expected
to
occur
from
the
majority
of
linear
alkylbenzene
sulfonate
uses
and
it
is
unlikely
that
any
appreciable
exposure
to
terrestrial
or
aquatic
organisms
would
occur
from
limited
commercial
down­
the­
drain
use
because
of
the
very
small
number
of
pounds
sold
for
these
uses
(
CBI
data).
It
is
conclusive
from
the
chemical
properties
of
the
alkylbenzene
sulfonates
and
the
published
literature
that
there
are
most
likely
no
environmental
impacts
to
be
concerned
with
at
this
time.

1.2
Chemical
Identification:

Three
chemicals
are
considered
in
this
document:
sodium
dodecylbenzene
sulfonate,
benzene
sulfonic
acid,
C10­
16
alkyl
derivatives,
and
dodecylbenzene
sulfonic
acid.
It
is
important
to
Page
6
of
12
reiterate
that
even
though
benzene
sulfonic
acid,
C10­
16­
alkyl
derivatives
and
dodecylbenzene
sulfonic
acid
are
listed
as
separate
active
ingredients
when
denoted
on
labels,
dodecylbenzene
sulfonic
acid
is
assumed
to
exhibit
the
same
environmental
effects
as
the
benzene
sulfonic
acid,
C10­
16­
alkyl
derivatives.
Additionally,
these
two
chemicals
will
be
jointly
referred
to
as
DDBSA
throughout
the
document
and
conclusions
will
be
made
based
on
the
properties
affiliated
with
benzene
sulfonic
acid,
C10­
16­
alkyl
derivatives.
Table
1
shows
chemical
information
that
was
used
for
sodium
dodecylbenzene
sulfonate
and
DDBSA.
This
data
in
Table
1
was
extracted
from
the
Product
Chemistry
Science
Chapter
that
has
been
developed
for
the
alkylbenzene
sulfonate
RED.

Table
1.
Chemical
Identification
Information
Alkylbenzene
Sulfonatesa
Sodium
Dodecylbenzene
Sulfonate
Benzene
Sulfonic
Acid,
C10­
16­
alkyl
derivatives
(
DDBSA)

CAS
Number
25155­
30­
0
68584­
22­
5
Molecular
Formula
C18H29O3NaS
C16H26O3S
a:
Refer
to
the
product
chemistry
chapter
for
a
full
list
of
the
different
chemical
and
physical
properties
of
each
of
these
compounds.

2.0
USE
INFORMATION
2.1
Formulation
Types
and
Percent
Active
Ingredient
The
products
containing
alkylbenzene
sulfonates
as
the
active
ingredients
(
a.
i.)
are
formulated
as
soluble
concentrates,
flowable
concentrates,
ready­
to­
use
solutions,
and
water
soluble
packaging.
Concentrations
of
alkylbenzene
sulfonates
in
these
products
range
from
0.036%
to
25.6%.
In
the
past
registrations,
there
was
a
use
for
acid
mine
treatments
that
involved
sodium
dodecylbenzene
sulfonate.
The
labels
that
have
these
uses
have
been
voluntarily
cancelled
by
the
registrant.
As
a
result,
there
are
no
terrestrial
uses
of
this
chemical
to
be
concerned
with
for
this
RED.

2.2
Summary
of
Use
Patterns
and
Formulations
The
Agency
determines
potential
exposures
to
the
product
by
identifying
exposure
scenarios
from
the
various
application
methods
that
are
plausible,
given
the
label
uses.
Based
on
a
review
of
registered
product
labels,
the
use
categories
for
alkylbenzene
sulfonates
include
agricultural
premises
and
equipment,
food
handling/
storage
establishment
premises
and
equipment,
and
commercial
/
institutional
and
industrial
premises
and
equipment
(
Use
Site
Categories
I,
II,
and
III
respectively).
Examples
of
registered
uses
for
alkylbenzene
sulfonates
include,
but
are
not
limited
to:
application
to
indoor
hard
surfaces
(
e.
g.
urinals,
shower
stalls,
toilet
bowls,
etc.),
food
dispensing
equipment
(
e.
g.
pre­
mix
and
post­
mix
vending
machines),
food
contact
surfaces
(
glasses,
dishes,
silverware,
countertops,
etc.),
agricultural
tools,
and
fruits
and
vegetables
(
post­
harvest).
The
percentage
of
alkylbenzene
sulfonates
in
various
products
can
range
from
0.036%
to
25.6%.
Products
containing
alkylbenzene
sulfonates
are
formulated
as
Page
7
of
12
soluble
concentrates,
flowable
concentrates,
ready­
to­
use
solutions,
or
water
soluble
packaging.
All
of
the
scenarios
are
highly
unlikely
to
produce
environmental
fate
concerns.

3.0
MODEL
RESULTS
EPI
Suite
contains
ten
models,
not
all
of
which
were
executed
for
this
chapter.
EPIWIN,
Estimations
Programs
Interface
for
Windows,
is
an
interface
program
that
transfers
a
single
SMILES
notation
to
eleven
separate
structure
estimation
programs.
These
programs
are
useful
because
they
provide
chemical
properties
so
that
different
estimations
can
be
made
about
the
behavior
and
properties
of
the
particular
chemical
being
discussed.
The
programs
that
provided
output
applicable
to
this
chapter
are:

 
AOPWIN:
This
estimates
the
rate
constant
for
the
atmospheric
gas­
phase
reaction
between
photochemically
reduced
hydroxyl
radicals
and
organic
chemicals.
It
then
uses
the
calculated
rates
to
estimate
the
half­
lives
for
organic
compounds
based
upon
average
atmospheric
concentrations
of
hydroxyl
radicals
and
ozone.
 
BIOWIN:
Estimates
the
probability
for
the
rapid
aerobic
biodegradation
of
an
organic
chemical
in
the
presence
of
mixed
populations
of
environmental
microorganisms.
Estimates
are
based
upon
fragment
constants
that
were
developed
using
multiple
linear
and
non­
linear
regression
analyses.
 
HENRYWIN:
Estimates
Henry's
law
constant.
 
KOWWIN:
Estimates
the
octanol­
water
partition
coefficient
 
MPBPWIN:
estimates
the
melting
point,
boiling
point,
and
vapor
pressure
 
PCKOCWIN:
Estimates
the
soil
sorption
coefficient,
KOC
of
organic
compounds.
The
output
can
be
defined
as
the
ratio
of
the
amount
of
chemical
adsorbed
per
unit
weight
of
organic
carbon
(
oc)
in
the
soil
or
sediment
to
the
concentration
of
the
chemical
in
solution
at
equilibrium.
The
coefficient
provides
an
indication
of
the
extent
to
which
a
chemical
partitions
between
solid
and
solution
phases
in
soil,
or
between
water
and
sediment
in
aquatic
ecosystems.
 
WSKOWWIN:
Estimates
the
water
solubility
from
the
log
octanol­
water
partition
coefficient.

The
following
sections,
3.1
and
3.2
respectively,
provide
the
chemical
specific
conclusions
that
are
based
on
model
output.

3.1
EPI
Suite
Output
for
sodium
dodecylbenzene
sulfonate
(
CAS
#
25155­
30­
0)

log
Kow:
1.96
Koc:
1.683
E
+
004
(
log
Koc:
4.22)
MP:
287.6OC
BP:
660.
OC
VP:
6.02
E­
015
mm
Hg
Water
solubility:
800
mg/
L
Henry's
Law
Constant:
6.02
E­
017
atm­
m3/
mol
Linear
biodegradation
probability:
0.5314
Page
8
of
12
Non­
linear
biodegradation
probability:
0.4415
Half
life:
7.9
hrs
(
in
the
air
or
atmosphere)

Based
on
the
output
of
the
model,
sodium
dodecylbenzene
sulfonate
is
highly
unlikely
to
bioaccumulate
in
the
environment
or
aquatic
organisms
(
i.
e.
fish)
because
of
the
low
Kow
value.
This
suggests
that
the
chemical
is
soluble
in
water
such
that
it
will
exhibit
mobility
through
the
soil.
"
In
general,
the
higher
its
octanol­
water
partition
coefficient
Kow,
the
more
likely
a
chemical
is
to
be
bound
to
organic
matter
in
soils
and
sediments 
Thus,
it
is
chemicals
with
log
Kow
values
in
the
4­
7
range
that
bioconcentrate
to
the
greatest
degree"
(
Barid
303).
In
addition,
the
log
Koc
is
low,
and
this
further
supports
that
dodecylbenzene
sulfonate
will
most
likely
exhibit
soil
mobility.
This
is
because
it
is
not
expected
to
immediately
bind
to
the
soil
sediments.

The
model­
calculated
linear
and
non­
linear
biodegradation
probabilities
provide
information
about
the
rate
of
the
degradation
of
the
constituents
of
sodium
dodecylbenzene
sulfonate
in
the
environment.
For
numerical
comparisons,
the
BIOWIN
model
indicates
that
numbers
greater
than
or
equal
to
0.5
indicate
rapid
biodegradation
and
numbers
less
than
0.5
do
NOT
biodegrade
quickly.
For
the
sodium
dodecylbenzene
sulfonate,
it
is
expected
that
the
linear
carbon
chain
will
biodegrade
rapidly,
whereas
the
benzene
ring
is
not
expected
to
biodegrade
as
rapidly.
The
same
model
also
provides
an
estimation
of
the
behavior
of
the
chemical
in
the
aquatic
environment
as
well
as
ultimate
biodegradation
(
mineralization).
It
is
estimated
that
the
chemical
will
biodegrade
linearly
within
days
in
the
aquatic
environment,
whereas
ultimate
biodegradation
is
estimated
to
take
place
over
the
course
of
weeks.

The
extremely
low
vapor
pressure
along
with
the
short
half
life
of
approximately
8
hours
indicates
that
this
chemical
is
not
likely
to
be
volatile,
and
is
likely
to
degrade
rapidly
by
reaction
with
photochemically
produced
hydroxyl
radicals
in
air.
The
short
half­
life
supports
that
any
potential
impacts
of
the
chemical
may
be
very
short­
lived
because
the
chemical
is
not
likely
to
persist
in
water
or
microbial
soils
and
sediments.

As
an
aside,
insignificant
exposure
to
sodium
dodecylbenzene
sulfonate,
also
commonly
refeered
to
as
LAS,
in
the
environment
is
expected
for
the
following
reasons:
1.)
total
LAS
usage
for
these
industrial
applications
is
very
minor
­
a
very
small
percentage
of
the
total
pounds
used
in
antimicrobials
(
CBI
data);
and
commercial
only
use
precludes
broad
environmental
exposures
that
might
occur
with
residential
use,
2.)
LAS
breakdown
and
degradation
in
the
environment
is
very
rapid,
3.)
LAS
is
significantly
reduced
by
sewage
treatment.
Industrial
water
treatment
requires
a
NPDES
permit
in
order
to
discharge
effluents.

3.2
EPI
Suite
Output
for
DDBSA
(
CAS
#
68584­
22­
5)

log
Kow:
3.80
Koc:
4.95
E+
003
(
log
Koc:
3.69)
MP:
167.7OC
BP:
437OC
VP:
5.1
E­
010
mm
Hg
Water
solubility:
7.1
mg/
L
Page
9
of
12
Henry's
Law
Constant:
2.8
E­
011
atm­
m3/
mol
Linear
biodegradation
probability:
0.5448
Non­
linear
biodegradation
probability:
0.5407
Half
life:
9.48
hrs
(
in
the
air
or
atmosphere)

Based
on
the
output
of
the
model,
DDBSA
is
highly
unlikely
to
bioaccumulate
in
the
environment
or
aquatic
organisms
(
i.
e.
fish)
because
of
the
low
log
Kow
value.
This
value
suggests
that
the
chemical
is
soluble
in
water
such
that
it
will
exhibit
mobility
through
the
soil.
Again,
the
Kow
value
is
low
such
that
the
chemical
will
be
highly
unlikely
to
bioconcentrate
and
is
in
other
words,
mobile
(
Barid
303).
In
addition,
the
log
Koc
is
low,
and
this
further
supports
that
dodecylbenzene
sulfonate
will
most
likely
exhibit
soil
mobility.
This
is
because
it
is
not
expected
to
immediately
bind
to
the
soil
sediments.

The
model­
calculated
linear
and
non­
linear
biodegradation
probabilities
provide
information
about
the
rate
of
the
degradation
of
the
constituents
DDBSA
in
the
environment.
For
numerical
comparisons,
the
BIOWIN
model
indicates
that
numbers
greater
than
or
equal
to
0.5
indicate
rapid
biodegradation
and
numbers
less
than
0.5
do
NOT
biodegrade
quickly.
For
the
DDBSA,
it
is
expected
that
overall
molecule
will
most
likely
biodegrade
rapidly.
The
same
model
also
provides
an
estimation
of
the
behavior
of
the
chemical
in
the
aquatic
environment
as
well
as
ultimate
biodegradation
(
mineralization).
It
is
estimated
that
the
chemical
will
behave
similarly
to
LAS
and
biodegrade
linearly
within
days
in
the
aquatic
environment,
and
ultimate
biodegradation
is
estimated
to
take
place
over
the
course
of
weeks.

The
extremely
low
vapor
pressure
along
with
the
short
half
life
of
approximately
9
hours
indicates
that
this
chemical
is
not
likely
to
be
volatile
and
is
likely
to
degrade
rapidly
by
reaction
with
photochemically
produced
hydroxyl
radicals
in
air.
In
addition,
the
short
half­
life
supports
that
any
potential
impacts
may
be
very
short­
lived
because
the
chemical
is
not
likely
to
persist
in
water
and
microbial
soils
and
sediments.

4.0
ADDITIONAL
DATA
FROM
LITERATURE
SERACH
There
are
minimal
studies
in
house
that
provide
environmental
fate
data
for
the
two
CAS
numbers
affiliated
with
this
RED.
A
literature
search
was
conducted
for
different
published
articles
that
could
be
used
as
resources
for
providing
information
on
the
chemical
behavior
of
the
alkylbenzene
sulfonates
in
the
environment.
There
was
a
sufficient
amount
of
information
available
for
LAS,
but
not
on
DDBSA.
Section
4.1
provides
a
summary
of
the
different
published
literature
that
discusses
the
environmental
behavior
of
LAS.
This
literature
search
serves
to
supplement
the
conclusions
derived
from
the
EPI
Suite
model
output
(
Section
3.0).
Section
4.2
discusses
the
conclusions
for
DDBSA.
The
excerpts
also
serve
as
a
foundation
for
the
conclusion
that
the
environmental
fate
of
alkylbenzene
sulfonates
is
not
likely
to
be
of
a
concern.
Page
10
of
12
4.1
Sodium
dodecylbenzene
sulfonate
(
CAS
#
25155­
30­
0)

Several
excerpts
are
included
for
a
discussion
of
this
chemical
to
provide
a
well
rounded
understanding
of
its
behavior
in
the
environment.
The
location
of
the
full
text
of
where
these
excerpts
were
obtained
from
is
fully
referenced
in
the
bibliography.

"
LAS
biodegrades
easily
and
loses
its
tensioactive
properties
quickly,
as
many
works
of
literature
testify"
(
Cavalli
1993).

"
Throughout
their
passage
into
the
environment,
LAS
are
removed
by
a
combination
of
adsorption
and
primary
and
ultimate
bio­
degradation.
LAS
are
adsorbed
onto
colloidal
surfaces
and
onto
suspended
particles 
they
biodegrade
in
surface
water
(
half­
life
1­
2
days),
aerobic
sediments
(
1­
3
days),
and
marine
and
estuarine
systems
(
5­
10
days)
(
WHO
1996).

"
For
anionic
surfactants
in
general,
the
most
important
compartments
[
where
LAS
can
be
found
in
the
environment]
are
sewage
water
treatment
plants,
surface
waters,
sediment­
and
sludgeamended
soils,
and
estuarine
and
marine
environments.
Both
biodegradation
(
primary
and
ultimate)
and
adsorption
occur,
resulting
in
decreased
environmental
concentrations
and
bioavailability.
Reduction
in
chain
length
and
loss
of
the
parent
structure
both
result
in
compounds
that
are
less
toxic
than
the
parent
compound.
It
is
important
that
these
considerations
be
taken
into
account
when
the
results
of
laboratory
tests
are
compared
with
potential
effects
on
the
environment"
(
WHO
1996).

"
The
sorption
of
LAS
to
soil
is
a
combination
of
several
mechanisms
and
sorption
to
both
the
organic
and
inorganic
fraction
of
the
soil
has
been
demonstrated.
The
linear
alkyl
group
of
LAS
is
hydrophobic
and
sorbs
to
the
non­
polar
fractions
of
the
soil,
such
as
the
organic
matter.
However,
the
sulfonate
group
of
LAS
is
negatively
charged
and
hydrophilic
and
therefore
interacts
with
positively
charged
soil
components
or
polar
groups,
such
as
hydroxyl­
groups,
minerals,
or
oxides"
(
Jacobsen
2004).

"
Environmental
degradation
of
LAS
homologs
in
aquatic
systems
is
rapid;
the
measured
half­
life
in
river
waters
is
<
2
d[
ays].
Degradation
processes
rapidly
reduce
chain
lengths
of
LAS
in
the
environment
to
averages
lower
than
C12,"
and
in
addition
to
this
research
finding,
"[
t]
oxicity
generally
decreases
with
decreasing
chain
length"
(
Fairchild
1993).
This
supports
that
this
chemical
has
an
extremely
short­
lived
presence
in
the
environment,
and
its
degradates
are
less
toxic
than
the
parent
compound.

In
a
published
review
by
Kuhnt
(
1993),
a
flow
chart
is
provided
to
depict
the
behavior
of
surfactant
in
soils.
It
is
conclusive
from
the
flow
chart
that
surfactants
that
exhibit
either
low
or
no
adsorption
can
exhibit
enhanced
mobility
and
degradability,
which
result
in
low
persistence
in
the
environment.

4.2
DDBSA
(
CAS
#
68584­
22­
5)

There
is
a
deficiency
in
the
availability
of
literature
on
DDBSA.
The
major
difference
between
LAS
and
DDBSA
are
the
ions
on
the
sulfonate
groups
which
are
sodium
versus
Page
11
of
12
hydrogen
respectively.
It
is
important
to
also
acknowledge
that,
"[
t]
he
commercial
mixture
of
LAS
is
composed
of
a
range
of
homologs
with
alkyl
chain
lengths
ranging
from
10
to
15
carbon
units
and
isomers
that
vary
in
phenol
position"
(
Fairchild
1763).
This
supports
that
LAS
is
very
similar
to
DDBSA
in
terms
of
the
length
of
the
carbon
chain,
and
the
empirical
formulas
provided
in
Table
1,
Chemical
Identification
Information
for
Alkylbenzene
Sulfonates
further
support
this.

5.0
CONCLUSION
As
a
result
of
the
structural
observations
and
comparisons
between
LAS
and
DDBSA
along
with
the
similar
properties
provided
by
EPI
Suite,
the
literature
data
that
is
available
for
LAS
is
assumed
to
be
representative
of
DDBSA.
In
conclusion,
the
potential
effects
of
both
LAS
and
DDBSA
in
the
environment
are
not
likely
to
be
of
a
concern.
Page
12
of
12
6.0
REFERENCES
Barid,
Colin.
Environmental
Chemistry,
2nd
Edition.
W.
H.
Freeman
and
Company:
New
York,
2003.

Cavalli,
L.,
et.
al.
(
1993).
"
LAS
Removal
and
Biodegradation
in
a
Wastewater
Treatment
Plant."
Environmental
Toxicology
and
Chemistry.
Vol.
12.
pp
1777­
1788.

Fairchild,
James
F,
et.
al.
(
1993).
"
Evaluation
of
a
Laboratory­
Generated
OEC
For
Linear
Alkylbenzene
Sulfonate
in
Outdoor
Experimental
Streams."
Environmental
Toxicology
and
Chemistry.
Vol.
12.
pp
1763­
1776.

"
International
Programme
on
Chemical
Safety,
Environmental
Health
Criteria
169,
Linear
Alkylbenzene
Sulfonates
and
Related
Compounds."
World
Health
Organization.
Geneva,
1996
http://
inchem.
org/
documents/
ehc/
ehc/
ehc169.
htm.

Jacobsen,
Anne
Marie,
Gerda
Krog
Mortensen,
and
Hans
Christian
Bruun
Hansen.
(
2004).
"
Degradation
and
Mobility
of
Linear
Alkylbenzene
Sulfonate
and
Nonylphenol
in
Sludge­
Amended
Soil."
Journal
of
Environmental
Quality.
Vol
33.
pp.
232­
240.

Kuhnt,
Gerald.
(
1993).
"
Behavior
and
Fate
of
Surfactants
in
Soil."
Environmental
Toxicology
and
Chemistry.
Vol.
12.
pp
1813­
1820.

The
Estimation
Programs
Interface
(
EPI)
Suite.
Windows
based
suite
of
physical/
chemical
properties
and
environmental
estimation
models
developed
by
the
US
EPA's
Office
of
Prevention,
Pesticides,
and
Toxic
Substances
(
OPPTS)
and
Syracuse
Research
Institute
(
SRC).
http://
www.
epa.
gov/
opptintr/
exposure/
docs/
EPISuitedl.
htm
