Adsorptive properties of natural water surfactant films. Dead Vistula catchment water studies

The paper contains the results of natural film experiments carried out on inland waters in the Dead Vistula (Martwa Wisła) catchment area during 1999–2002 using the integrated Langmuir trough-Wilhelmy plate system,w hich ‘cuts out’ an undisturbed film-covered area without any physicochemical sample processing. The static film parameters result from the generalized scaling procedures applied to the surface pressure-area isotherms. They appear to correspond well to observations of the film composition (Alim, MW, Eisoth),film solubility and the miscibility of its components (via R, ΔSc and y factors),and surface concentration (πeq, Γeq). A novel approach is presented for the adsorption dynamics on the basis of the mixed kinetic-diffusion model and analyses of the dynamic surface pressure plots,whic h leads to the determination of the effective relative diffusion coefficient Deff/D and activation energy barrier Ea/RT . There is reason to believe that certain classes of film-forming components or ‘end-members’ may dominate the static and dynamic surface properties. Some of these substances can be used as source-specific surface-active biomarkers to trace temporal and spatial changes due to environmental factors or the production of biological matter. The concept was tested for the Dead Vistula river and its tributaries. The results demonstrate that natural films are a complex mixture of biopolymeric molecules covering a wide range of solubilities,sur face activities and molecular masses with an apparent structural film architecture. Such studies could lead to the development of film structure parameters – indicators of ecosystem quality and the state of the environment.