Study on the Anaerobic Biodegradability of Detergent Surfactants

As part of the modernisation of the legislation on detergents, the Commission contracted the Fraunhofer Institute (UMSICHT1) to carry out a study of anaerobic biodegradation in the context of the total environmental impact of detergent surfactants. This report, which was completed in July 2003, covered EU-15 and three of the accession countries at that time (Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland).

Executive summary [16 KB]

Final report by Fraunhofer-Institut

Main text pdf - 3 MB [3 MB]

Annex A pdf - 39 KB [39 KB] : Tables corresponding to figures

Annex B: Tables environmental concentrations

Tables B1-B3 [41 KB] : Anionic, Nonionic and Cationic surfactants in the compartment of surface water
Table B4 [28 KB] : Anionic surfactants in the compartment of river sediment
Tables B5-B7 [26 KB] : LAS, NPE and NP in sewage sludge

Annex C pdf - 85 KB [85 KB] : Ecotoxicological data

Annex D pdf - 7 KB [7 KB] : Eco-labelled surfactants

UMSICHT, Osterfelder Str. 3, DE-46047 Oberhausen
Project Management: Dr. Ute Merretig-Bruns, Dipl.-Ing. Erich Jelen