Editing Surfactant (section)

== Safety and environmental risks ==
Most anionic and non-ionic surfactants are non-toxic, having [[LD50]] comparable to [[nacl|table salt]]. The toxicity of [[Quaternary ammonium cation|quaternary ammonium compounds]], which are [[antibacterial]] and [[antifungal]], varies. Dialkyldimethylammonium chlorides ([[DDAC]], [[DSDMAC]]) used as [[fabric softener]]s have high LD50 (5 g/kg) and are essentially non-toxic, while the [[disinfectant]] alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride has an LD50 of 0.35 g/kg. Prolonged exposure to surfactants can irritate and damage the skin because surfactants disrupt the [[lipid membrane]] that protects skin and other cells. Skin irritancy generally increases in the series non-ionic, amphoteric, anionic, cationic surfactants.<ref name=Ullmann/>

Surfactants are routinely deposited in numerous ways on land and into water systems, whether as part of an intended process or as industrial and household waste.<ref name="pmid18333674">{{cite journal | vauthors = Metcalfe TL, Dillon PJ, Metcalfe CD | title = Detecting the transport of toxic pesticides from golf courses into watersheds in the Precambrian Shield region of Ontario, Canada | journal = Environ. Toxicol. Chem. | volume = 27 | issue = 4 | pages = 811–8 | date = April 2008 | pmid = 18333674 | doi = 10.1897/07-216.1 | bibcode = 2008EnvTC..27..811M | s2cid = 39914076 }}</ref><ref name="pmid15734192">{{Cite web|title=Simultaneous analysis of cationic, anionic and neutral surfactants from different matrices using LC/MS/MS {{!}} SHIMADZU (Shimadzu Corporation)|url=https://www.shimadzu.com/an/literature/lcms/apo112145.html|access-date=2021-11-14|website=www.shimadzu.com|language=en|archive-date=14 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211114134903/https://www.shimadzu.com/an/literature/lcms/apo112145.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="pmid15722095">{{cite journal | vauthors = Murphy MG, Al-Khalidi M, Crocker JF, Lee SH, O'Regan P, Acott PD | title = Two formulations of the industrial surfactant, Toximul, differentially reduce mouse weight gain and hepatic glycogen in vivo during early development: effects of exposure to Influenza B Virus | journal = Chemosphere | volume = 59 | issue = 2 | pages = 235–46 | date = April 2005 | pmid = 15722095 | doi = 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2004.11.084 |bibcode=2005Chmsp..59..235M}}</ref>

Anionic surfactants can be found in soils as the result of [[sewage sludge]] application, wastewater irrigation, and remediation processes. Relatively high concentrations of surfactants together with multimetals can represent an environmental risk. At low concentrations, surfactant application is unlikely to have a significant effect on trace metal mobility.<ref name="pmid21163562">{{cite journal | vauthors = Hernández-Soriano Mdel C, Degryse F, Smolders E | title = Mechanisms of enhanced mobilisation of trace metals by anionic surfactants in soil | journal = Environ. Pollut. | volume = 159 | issue = 3 | pages = 809–16 | date = March 2011 | pmid = 21163562 | doi = 10.1016/j.envpol.2010.11.009 | bibcode = 2011EPoll.159..809H }}</ref><ref name="pmid20830918">{{cite journal | vauthors = Hernández-Soriano Mdel C, Peña A, Dolores Mingorance M | title = Release of metals from metal-amended soil treated with a sulfosuccinamate surfactant: effects of surfactant concentration, soil/solution ratio, and pH | journal = J. Environ. Qual. | volume = 39 | issue = 4 | pages = 1298–305 | date = 2010 | pmid = 20830918 | doi = 10.2134/jeq2009.0242 | bibcode = 2010JEnvQ..39.1298H }}</ref>

In the case of the [[Deepwater Horizon oil spill]], unprecedented amounts of [[Corexit]] were sprayed directly into the ocean at the leak and on the sea-water's surface.  The apparent theory was that the surfactants isolate droplets of oil, making it easier for petroleum-consuming microbes to digest the oil.  The active ingredient in Corexit is [[dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate]] (DOSS), [[sorbitan monooleate]] (Span 80), and polyoxyethylenated sorbitan monooleate ([[Polysorbate 80|Tween-80]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://emsa.europa.eu/opr-documents/opr-manual-a-guidelines/download/1166/719/23.html |title=European Maritime Safety Agency. Manual on the Applicability of Oil Dispersants; Version 2; 2009. |access-date=2017-05-19 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110705151503/http://www.emsa.europa.eu/opr-documents/opr-manual-a-guidelines/download/1166/719/23.html |archive-date=5 July 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url= https://www.nap.edu/read/736/chapter/1 |title= Using Oil Spill Dispersants on the Sea |vauthors= ((Committee on Effectiveness of Oil Spill Dispersants (National Research Council Marine Board))) |year= 1989 |publisher= National Academies Press |doi= 10.17226/736 |isbn= 978-0-309-03889-8 |access-date= October 31, 2015 |archive-date= 3 January 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190103110128/https://www.nap.edu/read/736/chapter/1 |url-status= live }}</ref>

===Biodegradation===
Because of the volume of surfactants released into the environment, for example laundry detergents in waters, their biodegradation is of great interest. Attracting much attention is the non-biodegradability and extreme persistence of [[fluorosurfactant]], e.g. [[perfluorooctanoic acid]] (PFOA).<ref>USEPA: [http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/pfoa/pubs/pfoastewardship.htm "2010/15 PFOA Stewardship Program"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081027061359/http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/pfoa/pubs/pfoastewardship.htm|date=27 October 2008}} Accessed October 26, 2008.</ref> Strategies to enhance degradation include [[ozone]] treatment and biodegradation.<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1007/s10311-014-0466-2|title=Surfactants: Toxicity, remediation and green surfactants|year=2014|last1=Rebello|first1=Sharrel|last2=Asok|first2=Aju K.|last3=Mundayoor|first3=Sathish|last4=Jisha|first4=M. S.|journal=Environmental Chemistry Letters|volume=12|issue=2|pages=275–287|bibcode=2014EnvCL..12..275R |s2cid=96787489 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/j.envint.2005.07.004|title=Fate, behavior and effects of surfactants and their degradation products in the environment|year=2006|last1=Ying|first1=Guang-Guo|journal=Environment International|volume=32|issue=3|pages=417–431|pmid=16125241|bibcode=2006EnInt..32..417Y }}</ref> Two major surfactants, [[linear alkylbenzene sulfonate]]s (LAS) and the alkyl phenol [[ethoxylate]]s (APE) break down under [[wikt:aerobic|aerobic]] conditions found in [[sewage treatment]] plants and in soil to [[nonylphenol]], which is thought to be an [[endocrine disruptor]].<ref name="maria">Mergel, Maria. "Nonylphenol and Nonylphenol Ethoxylates." Toxipedia.org. N.p., 1 Nov. 2011. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.</ref><ref name="Scott2000">{{cite journal | vauthors = Scott MJ, Jones MN | title = The biodegradation of surfactants in the environment | journal = Biochim. Biophys. Acta | volume = 1508 | issue = 1–2 | pages = 235–51 | date = November 2000 | pmid = 11090828 | doi = 10.1016/S0304-4157(00)00013-7| doi-access = free }}</ref>  Interest in biodegradable surfactants has led to much interest in "biosurfactants" such as those derived from amino acids.<ref name="pmid20094712">{{cite journal | vauthors = Reznik GO, Vishwanath P, Pynn MA, Sitnik JM, Todd JJ, Wu J, Jiang Y, Keenan BG, Castle AB, Haskell RF, Smith TF, Somasundaran P, Jarrell KA |display-authors = 6| title = Use of sustainable chemistry to produce an acyl amino acid surfactant | journal = Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. | volume = 86 | issue = 5 | pages = 1387–97 | date = May 2010 | pmid = 20094712 | doi = 10.1007/s00253-009-2431-8 |s2cid = 3017826}}</ref> Biobased surfactants can offer improved biodegradation. However, whether surfactants damage the cells of fish or cause foam mountains on bodies of water depends primarily on their chemical structure and not on whether the carbon originally used came from fossil sources, carbon dioxide or biomass.<ref name="auto"/>