Water soluble polymer biodegradation evaluation using standard and experimental methods.

Multiple polyethylene glycol (PEG) polymers ranging in molecular weight (MW) from 4000 to 500,000 Da, polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) polymers with degrees of hydrolysis (DH) of 79 % and 88 % and MW 10,000 to 130,000 Da, and carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC) polymers with degrees of substitution (DS) ranging from 0.6 to 1.2 were evaluated in standard screening biodegradation tests to assess method limitations, modification potential, and reproducibility.

Probabilistic exposure assessment of DEEDMAC using measured effluent and sludge concentrations from 41 wastewater treatment plants across the United States.

The cationic surfactant diethyldialkylester dimethyl ammonium chloride (DEEDMAC) is an active ingredient in liquid fabric softeners and, as such, is disposed of down the drain after consumer use. A monitoring program was conducted across the continental United States to measure the concentration of DEEDMAC in the effluent and sludge from 41 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The concentration in the effluent ranged from 32.

Environmental fate of amine oxide: Using measured and predicted values to determine aquatic exposure.

Amine oxide (AO) surfactants are used widely in North American household detergents resulting in >44,000mtons disposed down the drain annually. Due to AOs substantial down the drain disposal volume, wide dispersive use, and high aquatic toxicity, there is a need to evaluate ecological exposure and corresponding risk. This study refined the current knowledge regarding the fate of AO disposed down the drain through laboratory simulation studies to evaluate biodegradation in the sewer and during activated sludge wastewater treatment.

Assessing the biodegradability of microparticles disposed down the drain.

Microparticles made from naturally occurring materials or biodegradable plastics such as poly(3-hydroxy butyrate)-co-(3-hydroxy valerate), PHBV, are being evaluated as alternatives to microplastics in personal care product applications but limited data is available on their ultimate biodegradability (mineralization) in down the drain environmental compartments. An OECD 301B Ready Biodegradation Test was used to quantify ultimate biodegradability of microparticles made of PHBV foam, jojoba wax, beeswax, rice bran wax, stearyl stearate, blueberry seeds and walnut shells. PHBV polymer was ready biodegradable reaching 65.

Probabilistic determination of the ecological risk from OTNE in aquatic and terrestrial compartments based on US-wide monitoring data.

OTNE [1-(1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydro-2,3,8,8-tetramethyl-2-naphthyl)ethan-1-one; trade name Iso E Super] is a fragrance ingredient commonly used in consumer products which are disposed down the drain. This research measured effluent and sludge concentrations of OTNE at 44 US wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). The mean effluent and sludge concentrations were 0.

Evaluation of anionic surfactant concentrations in US effluents and probabilistic determination of their combined ecological risk in mixing zones.

Alcohol sulfates (AS), alcohol ethoxysulfates (AES), linear alkyl benzenesulfonates (LAS) and methyl ester sulfonates (MES) are anionic surfactants that are widely used in household detergents and consumer products resulting in over 1 million tons being disposed of down the drain annually in the US. A monitoring campaign was conducted which collected grab effluent samples from 44 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) across the US to generate statistical distributions of effluent concentrations for anionic surfactants. The mean concentrations for AS, AES, LAS and MES were 5.

Widespread Microbial Adaptation to l-Glutamate-N,N-diacetate (L-GLDA) Following Its Market Introduction in a Consumer Cleaning Product.

l-Glutamate-N,N-diacetate (L-GLDA) was recently introduced in the United States (U.S.) market as a phosphate replacement in automatic dishwashing detergents (ADW).

Distributions of polycyclic musk fragrance in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents and sludges in the United States.

The polycyclic musks, AHTN and HHCB are fragrance ingredients widely used in consumer products. A monitoring campaign was conducted and collected grab effluent and sludge samples at 40 wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) across the United States to understand their occurrence and statistical distribution in these matrices. AHTN concentration in effluent ranged from <0.