Role of cationic and nonionic surfactants on biocidal efficiency in diesel-water interface

Biodegradation occurs at the interface between diesel and water. The microbial contamination can result in inhibitor/fuel degradation that leads to the unacceptable level of turbidity, filter plugging, corrosion of storage tanks, pipeline and souring of stored products. Hence, selection of biocides/inhibitors is an important aspect in petroleum product transporting pipeline. Three biocides (cationic and nonionic) were employed to study the biodegradation of diesel in diesel–water interface. The biocidal efficiency on biodegradation of diesel was examined using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Polyoxyethyleneglycol dodecyl ether [BRIJ-35] and polyethylene glycol-p-isooctylphenyl ether [TRITON-X-100] had higher bactericidal efficiency than Dodecyl ethyl dimethyl ammonium bromide [DDAB]. But the cationic biocide (DDAB) gave good biocidal efficiency at the interface. The data are explained in terms of a model that postulates the formation of “micelle” at the diesel–water interface.