Authors:
Hans-Peter Klöcking, Marion Mechler, Renate Klöcking, Ralf Junek and Juergen I. Schoenherr
Book:
After Wise Use – The Future of Peatlands, Proceedings of the 13th International Peat Congress: Peat Balneology
Keywords:
cationic, naturally-occurring-humic-acids-synthetic-humic-acid-like-polymers-anionic, non-ionic-and-amphoteric-surfactants-cytotoxicity
Documentfile:
Klöcking et al. 2008: Influence of humic substances on the cytotocixity of surfactants
Summary:
Aiming to reduce the toxic behaviour of surfactants the interaction of humic substances with four different types of surfactants was investigated. Using the human promonocytic cell line U937 the cytotoxicity of the individual surfactants and their combinations with isolated naturally occurring and synthetic humic acids were measured by means of the XTT tetrazolium reduction assay. Due to their negative charges humic acids are able to reduce the cytotoxicity of cationic surfactants, but differ in their effect on amphoteric agents. No influence of humic substances was found on the cytotoxicity of non-ionic and anionic surfactants.