Toxicity and detoxification of Swedish detergents and softener products

Detergents and softeners are used in large quantities and some of their ingredients are highly toxic to aquatic organisms. In the present study the acute toxicity to Daphnia magna was determined for 26 detergents and five softener Swedish products. Only one of the detergents had a 48-h EC50 > 100 mg/l. The 48-h EC50 for the other 25 detergents ranged from 4 to 85 mg/l. The 48-h EC50 for the five softeners ranged from 15 to 166 mg/l. Detoxification tests, with and without inoculum of sewage organisms, showed that all tested products were detoxified to some extent after 16 days and that the rate of detoxification was considerably higher with addition of sewage organisms. Toxicity to D. magna of the detergents and softeners, and the biotic detoxification rate was correlated with the concentration of surfactants used in formulating the products (more surfactants increased toxicity and a slower rate of detoxification). These results emphasize the importance of biological purification of domestic wastewater containing detergents and a suggested development of less toxic and more easily degradable surfactants.