Tolyltriazoles have recently been shown to be the primary agents in aircraft deicing/antiicing fluids (ADAFs) responsible for acute Microtox activity. However, little is known about the fate and effect of these compounds in the environment resulting from airport deicing activities. This research communication describes the first evidence that constituents within ADAFs, other than glycols, are present in subsurface water samples from a major North American airport at environmentally significant concentrations. These concentrations are approximately 25 times higher than the reported EC50 values in Microtox assays.

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Samples of nine different formulations of aircraft deicer and antiicer fluids (ADAF) were screened for the presence of selected surfactants. Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPnEO) were identified in three ADAF formulations, octylphenol ethoxylates were identified in two formulations, and six formulations contained alcohol ethoxylates. A preliminary field study was conducted at General Mitchell International Airport, Milwaukee, WI, to quantify NPnEO (n ) 1-15) and one of its byproducts, nonylphenol (NP), in airport runoff. Samples were collected from two airport outfalls, from the receiving stream, and from an upstream reference site during intensive ADAF application events. NPnEO was measured at concentrations up to 1190 µg/L in airport outfall samples, up to 77 ug/L in samples from the receiving stream and less than 5.0 µg/L from the upstream reference. Concentrations of glycol and other ADAF-related constituents, including NPnEO, were reduced by ∼1 order of magnitude between the outfall sites and the receiving stream site; however, concentrations of NP in the receiving stream remained similar to those from the outfalls (<0.04 µg/L at the upstream reference, 0.98 and 7.67 µg/L at outfalls, and 3.89 µg/L in the receiving stream). The field data suggest that NP is generated through degradation of NPnEO from airport runoff.