EFFECT OF ALKYLATE ISOMERISM UPON SURFACTANT RETENTION IN AN HPLC COLUMN AND PARTITIONING BETWEEN WATER AND OIL

The degree of isomerization in the alkyl chain of ethoxylated alkylphe nol surfactants influences the retention time in a HPLC silica column and the partitioning coefficient between n-heptane and water. HPLC ana lysis of isomer species with different alkyl groups allows the deducti on of some general trends in the influence of isomerization and branch ing on the surfactant properties. The alkyl group interaction with the solvent and the heptane-water partitioning data show that direct inte raction between the surfactant ''tail'' and the solvent is also of imp ortance.