Examination of the adsorption of ethylene oxide-propylene oxide triblock copolymers to soil

The adsorption of 5 surfactants (P103, P105, F108, F127 and L92) to a sandy soil has been investigated. The surfactants are ABA block copolymers in wh ich the A blocks are synthesised from ethylene oxide and the B block from p ropylene oxide. CMC values, for the block copolymers, as well as surfactant sorption to soil were measured by surface tension techniques. The adsorpti on of all five compounds can be described by the Freundlich adsorption isot herm. Adsorption, in each case, is related to the critical micelle concentr ation of the surfactant and the extent of adsorption appears to be linked a lso to the fraction of soil organic matter. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.