Nonylphenol in Water

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Nonylphenol in Water

• By
• Jackie Fawcett
• Michael Goldrich

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Introduction

• In the last 40 years 450 million tons of
  Nonylphenol has been produced world wide, 150,000
  tons in the U.S. alone. This chemical is
  extremely toxic and is bioaccumulative,
  accumulating over time in the tissues of living
  organisms rather than being evacuated in wastes.
  The chemical is mainly found in the U.S., Canada,
  and Europe where it has begun showing up in lakes
  and rivers.

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Sources of Nonylphenol

• Intermediate for Antioxidants for Rubber and
  Plastics
• Phenolic Resins
• Rubber Processing Chemicals
• Polyvinyl Chloride Plasticizers
• Antioxidant in the Manufacture of Polystyrene
• Plastic Additives
• Surfacants in Detergents
• Plastic Centrifuge Tubes
• Leached from PVC Tubes
• Sewage Sludges

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Chemical properties
Molecular Formula C15H24O
Molecular Weight 220.35 grams/mole
Log Kow 3.81
pKa 10.25

• 6 ortho-substituted, 94 para-substituted
• Insoluble in Water
• Soluble in Benzene, Chlorinated Solvents,
  Aniline, Heptane, Aliphilic Alcohols, and
  Ethylene Glycol
• High Viscosity
• Floats on Water

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Affects on Animals Humans

• Estrogen-like compound, activating estrogen
  receptor sites in animals and reptiles
• Induces cell proliferation and progesterone
  receptor in human estrogen-sensitive MCF7 breast
  tumor cells
• Triggers mitotic activity in rat endometrium
• Induces sex change in male fish
• Influences ATPases and affects the calcium
  metabolism
• Developmental toxicant to daphnids
• Accumulates in the liver, gills, skin, gut,
  kidney, and fat tissues in trout

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Sludge

• High Concentrations in Sewage Compared to Other
  Contaminants (two order of magnitude higher than
  metals)
• Nonylphenol in Stabilized Sewage Sludge
  Originates from Alkylphenol Polyethoxylates
• Alkylphenol Polyethoxilates in Stabilized Sludge
  Further break down into Alkylphenols, which
  Accumulate in Digested Sludge
• Consistently Found in Aerobically Stabilized
  Sludge

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Wastewater Treatment

• Detection can be Done using UV-vis
  Spectrophotometry, Gas Chromotography, and Mass
  Spectrophotometry
• Photodegradeable, Half-Life of 10 to 15 Hours of
  Continuous Clear Sky, Noon Summer Sunlight in the
  Surface Layer of the Lake
• Activated Carbon Very Effective because of High
  Porosity and Large Surface Area

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Data
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Data

• Adverse effects were observed at
• 10 micrograms/liter for zooplankton
• 30 micrograms/liter for sediment dwellers
• 300 micrograms/liter for fish
• Half Life in Water is 1.2 days
• Persistent in Sediments from 28 to 104 days

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Conclusion

• Nonylphenol is a dangerous chemical with the
  potential to cause numerous environmental
  problems. Although there are means of detection,
  it is still very difficult to isolate and get rid
  of. Its affects on humans are not the only
  concern, but also its affects on wildlife and
  this should also motivated its restriction in
  means of disposal.