SEPARATION AND QUANTITATIVE-DETERMINATION OF NONIONIC SURFACTANTS USED AS PESTICIDE ADDITIVES

The various chromatographic techniques suitable for the separation and quantitative determination of non-ionic surfactants in industrial and environmental samples are reviewed with special emphasis on the sampl e preparation methods. Techniques are classified (thin-layer, high-per formance, supercritical fluid and gas-liquid chromatography) and discu ssed separately. The sophisticated gas chromatography-mass spectrometr y and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques are the most suitable methods for the separation of non-ionic surfactants according to both the number of ethylene oxide groups per molecule and the char acter of the hydrophobic moiety.