Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEO_n), typically NPEO₁₀, are the second popular nonionic surfactants that have been banned or restricted from use and production by Europe since 1990 due to their poor degradability and high genetic toxicity. The hypothesis of this work is that the nonylcyclohexanol ethoxylates (NCEO_n) may possess similar interfacial properties but lower biotoxicity and better biodegradability compared with NPEO_n according to their structures. To verify this and to find the optimal alternative of NPEO₁₀, the interfacial properties of NCEO_n were compared with the typical commercial ethoxylates nonionic surfactants, such as nonylphenol ethoxylated-10 (NPEO₁₀), alcohol ethoxylated-9 (AEO₉), secondary alcohol ethoxylated-9 (SAE₉), and isomeric alcohol ethoxylated-9 (TO₉). It is the NCEO₇ that shows excellent emulsifying ability similar to that of NPEO₁₀. NCEO₁₁ performed stronger detergency than other assayed commercial nonionic surfactants. Additionally, NCEO_n possessed lower biological toxicity to aquatic organisms. Hence, NCEO_n could be considered as a green substitute for NPEO_n in the assayed application fields.

中文翻译：

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壬基环己醇乙氧基化物，壬基酚乙氧基化物的绿色替代品，在界面理化性质方面

壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚 (NPEO _n )，通常是 NPEO ₁₀，是第二种流行的非离子表面活性剂，由于其降解性差和高遗传毒性，自 1990 年以来欧洲已禁止或限制使用和生产。这项工作的假设是，根据其结构，壬基环己醇乙氧基化物 (NCEO _n ) 可能具有相似的界面特性，但与 NPEO _{n相比，其生物毒性更低且生物降解性更好。}为了验证这一点并找到 NPEO _{10的最佳替代品，将 NCEO n}的界面性质与典型的商业乙氧基化物非离子表面活性剂，如壬基酚乙氧基化 10 (NPEO ₁₀)、醇乙氧基化-9 (AEO ₉ )、仲醇乙氧基化-9 (SAE ₉ )和异构醇乙氧基化-9 (TO ₉ )。NCEO ₇显示出与 NPEO ₁₀相似的优异乳化能力。NCEO ₁₁比其他经测定的商业非离子表面活性剂具有更强的去污力。此外，NCEO _n对水生生物具有较低的生物毒性。因此，NCEO _n可被视为 NPEO _n在分析应用领域的绿色替代品。