Solvent-free high active matter alcohol ethoxysulfate/alcohol ethoxylate blends: Preparation and effect of surfactant structure on rheological properties

Blends of alcohol ethoxysulfates (AES) and alcohol ethoxylates (AE) at high active matter content (90%) have been prepared. These blends contain no solvents other than water and have sufficiently low viscosities enabling the pumping of them from storage vessels to mix tanks. In addition, they may be diluted into aqueous solutions with less gel formation tendencies than shown by AE or AES alone. Specific AE/AES blend ratios, alkyl and polyoxyethylene chain lengths are important selection parameters for achieving desired rheological properties. This paper was presented at the 79th American Oil Chemists’ Society Annual Meeting, May 1988, Phoenix, Arizona.     

Analysis of nonionic surfactants in bench-scale biotreater samples

The effluents and activated sludges used in benchscale biotreater units have been analyzed for nonionic alcohol ethoxylates and their residues. Separate bench-scale units were fed linear alcohol ethoxylates (AE), highly branched and branched nonylphenol ethoxylates. Effluents and sludges were first pretreated by a foam sublation technique to provide a gross separation of surfactants from the environmental matrix. This step was followed by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with either fluorescence detection (FD) or evaporative light-scattering detection (ESLD). The AEs were derivatized with phenylisocyanate and analyzed by normal-phase HPLC coupled with FD. At extremely low surfactant levels, pretreatment of large sample volumes resulted in interferences on derivatization. Hence, a normal-phase HPLC method with ELSD was developed. Although some interferences do appear using ELSD, this method appears to be a more viable alternative to derivatization/FD for very low levels of AE. HPLC with FD and ELSD detection methods are more quantitative and provide information on the polyoxyethylene chain than is possible with traditional methods like cobalt-thiocyanate active substance. Presented at the 82nd AOCS Annual Meeting & Expo, May 1991, Chicago, Illinois.     

The mental health of men with a psychiatric disorder or traumatic brain injury: Wives' labeling and husbands' perceived control.

Objective: To investigate the relations among wives' labeling of their husbands' psychiatric disorder or brain injury as an organic illness, the husbands' perceived control over their disabilities, and the husbands' mental health. Participants: 57 male clients of the Department of Rehabilitation, Israel's Ministry of Defence (26 with a psychiatric disorder and 31 with a traumatic brain injury) and their wives. Measures: Illness Labeling Questionnaire, the Perceived Control Over Illness Questionnaire, and the Mental Health Inventory. Results: Husbands' mental health was low but did not differ according to disability; wives' labeling of husbands' condition was negatively related to the husbands' mental health; husbands' perceived control was positively related to their mental health for both disabilities. Conclusion: Organic illness labels, even when adopted by the wives of the persons with the disability, seem to be negatively related to that person's mental health, whereas perceived control over a mental disorder or a brain injury seems to contribute positively to mental health, independently of how the disorder or injury is labeled. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A qualitative approach to the evaluation of psychosocial interventions for persons with severe mental illness.

This article describes the development and assessment of a qualitative interview for comprehensively assessing both the process and the outcome of interventions for persons with severe mental illness (SMI). A open-ended 16-question Narrative Evaluation of Intervention Interview (NEII) was developed. The NEII contains questions that ask the participants to evaluate and describe both process and outcome of interventions for persons with SMI. Research participants were 64 persons with SMI attending rehabilitation programs in the community. Analysis of participants' responses to the NEII, using the open step of the grounded theory approach, produced a comprehensive set of themes. Interrater reliabilities for these themes ranged from moderate to high, and these themes differentiated between the three psychosocial interventions. Ways of modifying the NEII so as to make it more sensitive to participants' expectations and experiences are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The structure of attitudes toward persons with disabilities: An Israeli validation of Siller's Disability Factor Scales—General (DFS—G).

Investigated the transcultural generalizability of the Disability Factor Scales—General (DFS—G) of J. Siller et al (1967) in 658 Jewish Israeli 11th and 12th graders and undergraduates. All Ss filled out a Hebrew translation of the 69-item DFS—G. Factor analysis of the Ss' responses provided support for the replicability of a major part of the DFS—G's structure. Also, a subsample of 114 Ss was administered the Edwards Social Desirability Scale while a subsample of 197 Ss was administered the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. Correlations between some scales of the DFS—G and these 2 measures are discussed as possible evidence that attitudes toward disability may reflect defenses against intra- and interpersonal pressures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Quantitation of alcohol ethoxylate surfactants in environmental samples by electrospray mass spectrometry

This report describes a method for obtaining the concentrations of the total and individual alcohol ethoxylate (AE) species in sewage treatment plant (STP) effluents by using electrospray liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS). This is a more advantageous method for quantitative analysis of AE in environmental matrices as compared with a previous thermospray LC/MS method. This new method is more sensitive, uses less solvents, utilizes a deuterated internal standard blend [C₁₃D₂₇O(CH₂CH₂O) _n H, where n varies from 0 to 21 with an average of n=9], which corresponds more closely to the AE, and it is a more robust instrumental technique. In this report, we document the results for validation of the electrospray LC/MS method by spike recovery of AE from STP effluent and influent samples.     

Comparison of women who enter feminist therapy and women who enter traditional therapy.

A sample of 201 women in feminist therapy and 207 women in traditional therapy was drawn from a national survey of women in consciousness-raising groups. Comparisons were made on political views at the time of entering therapy and on demographic characteristics and evaluations of therapy. There were no differences between clients of feminist and traditional therapy on demographic characteristics, symptom levels (Hopkins Sympton Checklist), and overall levels of life stress (Life-Events Stress Index). Clients of feminist therapists were more likely to describe their political views as radical and to identify themselves as members of the women's movement than were clients of traditional therapists. Clients of feminist therapists rated therapy as more helpful than clients of traditional therapy did. Clients who identified themselves as members of the women's movement evaluated feminist therapy as more helpful than traditional therapy; nonmembers evaluated feminist and traditional therapies as equally helpful. (26 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ultimate biodegradation studies of α-olefin sulfonates

Single carbon cut α-olefin sulfonates (AOS) having 12, 14, 16 and 18 carbon chain lengths and several of their blends were prepared from high-quality α-olefins by continuous SO₃ sulfonation in a laboratory falling film reactor. The ultimate biodegradability of these products was studied using a modified shake flask procedure with CO₂ evolution as the major biodegradability criterion. For comparison, commercial samples of a modified Ziegler-based AOS, linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS), and an alcohol ethoxysulfate (AEOS) were included. The results showed the AOS products bio-degraded to CO₂ more completely than LAS and slightly less extensively than AEOS. CO₂ evolution decreased slightly in amount and rate as AOS carbon chain length increased in the C₁₄ to C₁₈ range. Presented at the AOCS meeting, May 1977, New York City.     

Biodegradation of nonionic ethoxylates

The biodegradation of alcohol ethoxylates (AE) and alkylphenol ethoxylates (APE) is reviewed. Biodegradation test methods, ranging from laboratory tests to full-scale waste treatment plant studies are described for these surfactants. A comparison is made between primary and ultimate biodegradability criteria and the limitations of the various analytical methods used in these determinations are discussed. The most recently published data suggest sewage bacteria degrade AE by a mechanism which is different from that by which APE degrades. The use of radiolabeled surfactants to elicit more detailed information about the biodegradation mechanisms of AE is described. The role of biodegradation on the impact of surfactants released to the environment is assessed, and future environmental concerns for nonionics are considered.