Oxygen depletion in sea water in the presence of surfactants

Abstract

Sea water samples taken from highly poluted zone of the Marmara Sea ; i.e, containing indigenious bacteria were used to demonstrate the comperative biodegradation degree of surfactants in a natural system. Introduction of excessive amount of biodegradable surfactants into the system, result in oxygen depletion. Therefore, degradation was followed from the consumption of oxygen by using polarographic measurements and also from evaluation of the surface tension. Results obtained clearly indicate that indigenious bacteria can degrade aliphatic chain of sodium lauryl sulfate and lauryl alcohol polyglycol ether. It can be concluded that there is an equilibrium between the depletion of oxygen and degradation of surfactants under the experimental conditions.

Key words:

• Oxygen depletion
• surfactant
• sea water
• biodegradation