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- From: "Stephen Sadler" <Docshiva@Docshiva.org>
- To: "'North American Fruit Explorers'" <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
- Subject: RE: [NAFEX] ? for Doc about surfactants
- Date: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 16:04:03 -0700
I know I’m not the doc you asked,
but here’s a bit more on the subject: A surfactant (short for SURFace ACTive
AgeNT) is a chemical which will reduce the surface tension of a liquid.
The molecules generally have a hydrophilic – or water-attracting end, and
a lipophilic, or fat-attracting end. Soap is a surfactant, and the
dual-philic molecule is what makes greases and oils ‘dissolve’ in
water; the surface between the two normally non-mixing fluids dissolves, as
each type of molecule is attracted to the soap. Egg yolks contain the
surfactant lecithin, and detergents use surfactant molecules to help mix greasy
stains into the wash water so they can be rinsed away. Many plants (mustard,
soapwort, soy) make surfactants, and some of the chemicals that animal bodies
make have those properties. There is nothing inherently harmful in the
group of compounds. Some surfactants (wetting agents are surfactants)
will penetrate plant or animal skins, and can carry other chemicals with them;
or just carry themselves. Insecticidal soap can invade soft-bodied
insects and introduce a large amount of itself into their systems, in
quantities that are deadly to the wee beasties. The potential environmental problems are
due to the type, amount, specific lethality, and biodegradability of
surfactants released into the environment. If you choose an organic
alternative to Roundup, it may still contain a surfactant, which is fine. The
one(s) in Roundup seems to be very harmful to amphibians. I will now wash my hands of the matter –
safely, with no environmental concerns, with a nicely surfactant organic
artisan-made soap… Stephen Sadler, Ph.D. USDA 9, AHS heat zone 8, From:
nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Charles Paradise
Doc, Doc
Lisenby wrote:
|
-
[NAFEX] Re:Lime/Amphibian decline,
Doc Lisenby, 04/15/2005
- RE: [NAFEX] Re:Lime/Amphibian decline, Stephen Sadler, 04/15/2005
-
[NAFEX] ? for Doc about surfactants,
Charles Paradise, 04/15/2005
-
RE: [NAFEX] ? for Doc about surfactants,
Stephen Sadler, 04/15/2005
-
RE: [NAFEX] ? for Doc about surfactants,
Stephen Sadler, 04/15/2005
- RE: [NAFEX] ? for Doc about surfactants, Bruce Hansen, 04/18/2005
-
RE: [NAFEX] ? for Doc about surfactants,
Stephen Sadler, 04/15/2005
-
RE: [NAFEX] ? for Doc about surfactants,
Stephen Sadler, 04/15/2005
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