Degradation of linear alkylate sulfonates in sewage

Residual linear alkylate sulfonates isolated from sewage effluents during a field test of biologically soft detergents reveal chain-length and phenyl isomer distributions similar to those in the influent stream. The data suggest no preferential degradation of linear alkylate sulfonate isomers under the field test conditions. The effluent is, however, characterized by apparent changes in branching content.