Determination of dialkyldimethylammonium

Abstract

A method is described for the determination of dialkyldimethylammonium surfactants (DDAS) in sewage, based on the formation of premicellar aggregates with sodium dodecyl sulfate and using the dye Coomassie Brilliant Blue G (CBBG) as a photometric probe. The mixed aggregates are selectively obtained at DDAS concentrations three orders of magnitude below the critical micelle concentration. As a result, DDAS can be determined at the μg l⁻¹ level without interference from other quaternary ammonium/pyridinium or anionic/non-ionic surfactants. Because of the selectivity of the method, the clean-up of sewage influents and effluents only involves extraction with chloroform, after formation of the DDAS–sodium dodecane sulfonic acid ion pair, evaporation of the extracts to dryness and dissolution of DDAS in 4 M hydrochloric acid. The recovery of DDAS ranged from 82 to 93% and from 100 to 105% in sewage influents and effluents, respectively.