Ecotoxicities of polyquaterniums and their associated polyelectrolyte-surfactant aggregates (PSA) to <i>Gambusia holbrooki</i>

Cumming, Janet Louise; Hawker, Darryl William; Nugent, K. W.; Chapman, Heather Faye

doi:10.1080/10934520701781160

Cited by 22 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Recent findings suggest that common polyquaternium polymers are toxic to eastern mosquitofish, with EC50 values of approximately 1 mg L -1 . 8 These EC50 values are comparable to that of cetylpyridinium chloride, which is known to be toxic to fish, invertebrates, algae, and rats. 9,10 Moreover, Monte Carlo simulations of the efficiency a municipal wastewater treatment plants predict a removal rate of polyquaternium polymers commonly contained in cosmetics of less than 25%, which suggests that concentrations attained in the environment could be problematic.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Indirect Potentiometric Determination of Polyquaternium Polymer Concentrations by Equilibrium Binding to 1-Dodecyl Sulfate

2019

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Polyquaternium polymers are polycationic polymers that are contained in many hair shampoos and conditioners and are also often added to water to remove organic and inorganic anions by floc formation. While polyquaternium analysis is not trivial, electroanalytical methods have been proposed for their detection using either irreversible emf responses or reversible potential-driven extraction into and out of polymeric sensing membranes. We present here an alternative technique for the determination of a representative polyquaternium polymer, poly(dimethylamine-co-epichlorohydrin) chloride, by equilibrium binding with a singly charged anionic surfactant, 1-dodecyl sulfate. Binding of an anionic surfactant to the polyquaternium polymer simplifies electrochemical detection as the concentration of unbound surfactant can be monitored using the equilibrium Nernstian emf response of ion-exchanger membranes. The latter can be used to determine the nature of the binding interaction and allows for the straightforward determination of polyquaternium polymer concentrations by titration. Fig. 1 Repeat unit structure of poly(dimethylamine-co-epichlorohydrin) chloride.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Indirect Potentiometric Determination of Polyquaternium Polymer Concentrations by Equilibrium Binding to 1-Dodecyl Sulfate

2019

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“…Some early work by Tooby et al (1975) found that the toxicity of polyquaterniums could be similar to that of cationic surfactants that are very toxic to fish, invertebrates and algae (Madsen et al 2001). Recent work by Cumming et al (2008) with a wider range of polyquaterniums has confirmed this finding and polyquaterniums of cosmetic origin have been included as 'chemicals of concern' in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent by Water Quality Research Australia (formerly known as the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment) (Cumming 2007).…”

mentioning

confidence: 84%

The Fate of Polymeric Quaternary Ammonium Salts from Cosmetics in Wastewater Treatment Plants

Cumming

Hawker

Chapman

et al. 2010

Water Air Soil Pollut

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Polymeric quaternary ammonium salts or polyquaterniums used in cosmetics have been categorised as chemicals of concern in wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent largely on the basis of emerging evidence of toxicity to aquatic organisms. However, little is known of their environmental fate and behaviour due to analytical difficulties with sample matrices. Their properties of negligible volatilisation and biotransformation enable the common fugacity-based model for WWTPs to be simplified to an equifugacity one where a compound has the same fugacity regardless of phase or position in the plant's process train. To gain an appreciation of their fate, this approach is used to calculate removal efficiencies in WWTPs. These can be determined without calculating phase-specific fugacity capacity constants. To predict effluent concentrations however, an aquivalence approach is necessary because of the lack of volatility of these compounds. Using previously measured biosolids/water distribution coefficients for common polyquaterniums found in cosmetics and flow rate data from a local municipal WWTP in South East Queensland, Australia, the removal efficiencies of the polyquaterniums of interest are predicted to be only 25% or less, meaning relatively little attenuation in the WWTP. A Monte Carlo simulation shows a roughly normal distribution in the model output of polyquaternium removal efficiency, with a mean and mode of approximately 26%. A sensitivity analysis confirms that the model output is most sensitive to the magnitude of the biosolids/water distribution coefficient compound and shows WWTP data such as biosolids removal efficiency have only a relatively small effect.

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“…Based on the few identified data, PQ-7 (4,300-5,200 kDa, 1.6 meq/g) has a low fish toxicity (LC 50 : 10-100 mg/L [154]). For PQ-10, LC 50 and EC 50 values for loss of equilibrium range from 0.96 mg/L to > 100 mg/L [66,155]. Chronic fish toxicity data were only available for PQ-6 (MW n.i.).…”

Section: Aquatic Organismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental fate and effects of water-soluble synthetic organic polymers used in cosmetic products

2021

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Because of their usually high molecular weight, polymers are generally considered as being of low environmental concern and are, therefore, exempted from registration and evaluation within REACH. This exemption is currently being reviewed by the European Commission. Against this background, data on the environmental fate and effects of selected water-soluble synthetic organic polymers used in cosmetic products were evaluated. The considered polymers include non-ionic polyethylene glycols (PEGs), anionic homo- and copolymers of acrylic acid (AA-P&CoPs), and cationic polyquaterniums (PQs). The PEGs are more amenable to biodegradation than the AA-P&CoPs and the PQs, which biodegrade slowly. In wastewater treatment plants, sorption and precipitation are expected to lead to an effective removal of the considered polymers from the wastewater. Uptake and bioaccumulation in aquatic organisms are limited by the large molecular size and, for AA-P&CoPs and PQs, the ionic charge of the polymers. In aquatic ecotoxicity tests, the PEGs and the AA-P&CoPs showed generally no to low toxicity. Effects of AA-P&CoPs on algae and crustaceans are attributed to the chelation of cationic nutrients in soft water, with toxicity being mitigated at higher water hardness. Toxicity of the cationic PQs to aquatic organisms ranged from absent to high, depending on the polymer structure, charge density and molecular weight, as well as on the test organism and test conditions. The observed effects most likely result from interactions with the organisms’ surfaces. Aquatic toxicity of the PQs is reduced by dissolved organic carbon, suspended solids, sediments minerals, and at higher water hardness, representative of natural conditions. Results from toxicity tests with sediment and soil organisms were only identified for homopolymers of acrylic acid, showing no toxicity. The evaluation of the available ecotoxicity data suggests that test methods may need to be adapted to the respective polymer type, and further standardised to improve reproducibility. Based on the identified data, the considered polymers are likely to be of low environmental concern. However, this conclusion must be seen as preliminary, since environmental concentrations could not be estimated, and further ecotoxicity data are required, e.g., for sediment and soil organisms.

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Ecotoxicities of polyquaterniums and their associated polyelectrolyte-surfactant aggregates (PSA) to Gambusia holbrooki

Cited by 22 publications

References 11 publications

Indirect Potentiometric Determination of Polyquaternium Polymer Concentrations by Equilibrium Binding to 1-Dodecyl Sulfate

Indirect Potentiometric Determination of Polyquaternium Polymer Concentrations by Equilibrium Binding to 1-Dodecyl Sulfate

The Fate of Polymeric Quaternary Ammonium Salts from Cosmetics in Wastewater Treatment Plants

Environmental fate and effects of water-soluble synthetic organic polymers used in cosmetic products

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