Jay Dawick, our Senior Toxicology and Risk Assessment Manager, has co-authored a paper from an ERASM task force project in conjunction with a marine science institute in Norway (SINTEF). This study looked at how well different types of surfactants (chemicals found in cleaning products, detergents, and industrial products) break down in seawater. Researchers tested 18 surfactants using a method that measures their biodegradability over 28 days.

They found that 12 of the surfactants broke down by at least 60% in that time, meaning they are easily biodegradable in seawater. The other six surfactants didn’t reach this level within 28 days, but they still showed some breakdown, suggesting they might need more time or that their chemical makeup makes them harder to degrade. Some of these may also be slightly toxic, which could slow down their breakdown.

View or download the paper to learn more: