ABSTRACT
Bromination, chlorination and hydroxylation were carried out on the hydrophobic chain of several comnercially available nonionic surfactants in order to modify their hydrophobic characteristics without changing their hydrophilic moities. Ethoxy-lated oleyl alcohols, as well as ethoxylated oleic acid, and polyglycerol esters were examined and it was found that paraffinic oil-in-water emulsions can be stabilized using these new surfactants. The derivatization of the nonionic surfactants increased their overall hydrophilicity, and as a result higher HLB value was obtained for any of the surfactants. It should be noted that in spite of the fact that hydrophilic groups were introduced into the hydrocarbon chain, stable emulsions were prepared and in sane cases even better stabilities were observed.