Nonylphenol Ethoxylate Surfactants History, Use, and Safety

1
Nonylphenol Ethoxylate Surfactants - History,
Use, and Safety

• Ellen Mihaich, Rhodia Inc.
• Carter Naylor, Huntsman Surface Sciences Corp.
• Charles Staples, Assessment Technologies, Inc.
• Aquatic Toxicity Workshop
• Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
• October 2, 2001

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Nonylphenol-Based Products Overview

• High performance, cost effective compounds in use
  for over 50 years
• Safe for the environment when used as intended,
  handled and disposed of properly
• Not a risk to human health through normal use and
  exposure

3
Uses of Alkylphenols (APs)

• Alkylphenols (APs)
• Primarily nonylphenol (NP) and octylphenol (OP)
• Usually ethoxylated to produce surfactant
• APs also used in preparation of phenolic resins,
  as heat stabilizers, antioxidants and curing
  agents in polymers

4
Uses of NPEs

• Industrial Processing (70)
• Textiles
• Pulp and paper
• Agricultural chemicals/pesticides
• Metal processing
• Lube oils and fuels
• Plastics processing
• Emulsion polymers/paints/coatings

5
Uses of NPEs

• Industrial Cleaning (20)
• Industrial and institutional cleaning products
• Industrial and institutional laundry products
• Household Cleaning (10)
• Laundry detergents
• Hard surface cleaners
• Personal Care (lt1)
• Pharmaceuticals
• Cosmetics

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NPE Use and Disposal Patterns
Disposal practices Down the drain to treatment
plant On-site treatment or pre-treatment Remain
encapsulated Sprayed onto foliage and soil
Application Institutional and household cleaning
products Industrial processing aids Paints and
coatings Pesticide formulations
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State of the ScienceEnvironmental Exposure

• NP and NPE are biodegradable
• NP and NPE are effectively removed in
  well-functioning sewage treatment plants
• Removal rate of NPE from wastewater treatment is
  on average 95
• NP and NPE do not bioaccumulate

8
State of the ScienceEnvironmental Exposure

• Monitoring studies in North America show low
  environmental levels of NP and NPE
• Environmental levels of concern exist where
  wastewater treatment is inefficient or inadequate

9
State of the ScienceEnvironmental Effects

• Aquatic studies with NP
• dozens of species covering fish, amphibians,
  mollusks, insects, annelids, crustaceans, algae,
  protozoa, and microorganisms
• mechanisms of toxicity (VTG, blood steroids,
  transitory changes in growth), acute and long
  term mortality, growth and reproduction
• Aquatic and terrestrial studies with NPE and NPEC
• acute and chronic data for fish, crustaceans, and
  birds

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Conclusions

• NP/NPE will be found in sewage, but,
• NP and NPE are biodegradable.
• NP and NPE are effectively removed in
  well-functioning sewage treatment plants.
• NP and NPE do not build up in the food chain.

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Conclusions - cont.

• The extensive toxicity database for NPE / NPEC /
  NP allows regulatory agencies to perform risk
  assessments.
• Endocrine effects have been assessed. Toxicity,
  not endocrine effects, drive risk assessment.
• Environmental levels of NP and NPE in U.S. and
  Canadian rivers and lakes pose low risk to
  aquatic life unless wastewater treatment is not
  adequate.