Surfactants are the major active ingredients of laundry detergents. Anionic surfactants account for 60% of surfactant used in the U. S. Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) is an anionic surfactant. It is a mixture of closely-related isomers and homologues, each containing an aromatic ring sulfonated at the para position and attached to a linear alkyl chain. This application provides a complete workflow method for the extraction and analysis of LAS is waste water samples.

Pluronic F127, or Poloxamer 407, is a non-ionic, polyol surfactant. Due to the variety of different structures contained within this complex product, a characterization method is described to determine the relative amounts of the different components, which may vary from lot-to-lot.

Triton X-100, is a polyethylene oxide-based, non-ionic surfactant. Due to the variety of different, polymeric chain-lengths contained within this complex product, a characterization method is described to determine the relative amounts of the different components, which may vary from lot-to-lot.

Brij 35, is a polyglycol ether, non-ionic surfactant. Due to the variety of different structures contained within this complex product, a characterization method is described to determine the relative amounts of the different components, which may vary from lot-to-lot.

Tween 20, or polysorbate 20, is a polymeric, non-ionic surfactant. Due to the variety of different structures contained within this complex product, a characterization method is described to determine the relative amounts of the different components, which may vary from lot-to-lot.