POLLUTANT-POLYSOAP INTERACTIONS

The influence of solubilized benzene on the viscosity of polysoaps is explained on the basis of a simple association model for the polysoap. This model assumes aggregation of the hydrophobic side chains into cy linders disposed along the chain backbone. Modification of the interfa cial energies of the domains by adsorption of the aromatic molecules l eads to a nonmonotonic behaviour of the mean aggregate size, and a cor responding non-monotonic behaviour of the reduced viscosity of the pol ysoap solutions.