Identification of photocatalytic degradation products of non-ionic polyethoxylated surfactants in wastewaters by solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric detection

The photodegradation of non-ionic surfactants (nonylphenol- and alcohol-polyethoxylates, NPEOx and CnEOx) was investigated in different waters with and without a photoinducter (Fe(III)). Deionized water and industrial effluent spiked at 0.5 mg/L with C10EO6 and NPEO9 were irradiated using a xenon are lamp. Aliquots of the test solutions were taken at different time intervals and were preconcentrated using solid phase extraction (SPE) with C-18 cartridges. Liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-APCI-MS) was used to identify the chemical species generated from phototransformation of non-ionic surfactants. The intermediates detected included nonylphenol diethoxylate (NPEO2) and nonylphenol ethoxy acetic acid (NPE2C). Much smaller amounts of degradation products of NPEO9 having only the alkyl chain carboxylated were also formed in the photocatalysis experiment. The identified C10EO6 photoproducts included fatty alcohols and acids. Polyethylene glycols (PEGs) were also formed as the consequence of the central scission of C10EO6 and the deethoxylation of NPEQ(9). The photodegradation in wastewater samples was more efficient than in deionized water being the half-life (t(1/2)) of C10EO6, 48 h and 29 h in deionized water and wastewater, respectively, and for NPEO9, ii h and 14 h in deionized water and wastewater, respectively. When induced photodegradation was undertaken, the t(1/2) for NPEO9 was 21 min and 29 min in deionized water and wastewater, respectively. Disappearance of parent compounds was observed after 120 h from the beginning of the photodegradation experiment, or after 210 min of irradiation for the photocatalysis.