Acute Tossicity of Some Cationic and Zwitterionic Surfactants to Freshwater Amphipod Echinogammarus tibaldii

Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are an important class of industrial chemicals with a wide range of commercial and consumer uses as detergents, antistatic and softening agents, biocides, germicides, deodorizers and emulsifiers. These substances are now increasingly used all over the world and their annual rates of production and consumption are considerable.The following study was therefore undertaken to evaluate the effect of molecular structure changes on the acute toxicity of cationic and zwitterionic surfactants to Echinogammarus tibaldii, a benthic shredder amphipod with an important role in the detritus chain of rivers and streams.