Lethal Response of Some Surfactants to Medaka Oryzias latipes with Relation to Chemical Structure

Abstract

A direct comparison of lethal response data of various surfactants used in new domstic phosphate-free-built detergent formulations was made, using medaka as a test fish. The chemical structure of surfactant conspicuouly affects toxicity. Of the structural variables of homlogues, lipophilic chain length and hydrophilic oxyethylene unit length showed an important influence of toxicity for may cases. Some surfactants in use as raw materials in the new domestic detergents are more toxic than the commonly used sodium linear alkylbenzenesulfonates.