Fluorescence spectroscopy of fulvic acids’ interaction with surfactants

Fluorescence spectra of two fulvic acid (FA) samples, FA0 from underground water and FA1 from forest soil, were recorded in various surfactant solutions. Alkyltrimethylammonium ions with different alkyl chain lengths induced a decrease in the fluorescence intensity for both FAs at concentrations below the critical micelle concentration (cmc) and an enhancement above the cmc. The intensity minimum thus obtained at the cmc was deeper for surfactants with longer alkyl chains. This effect was attributable to the formation of insoluble FA–surfactant complexes below the cmc and to the solubilization of the complex into micelles above the cmc. Dodecylpyridinium chloride caused a monotonic decrease in the FA fluorescence even far above the cmc. This was attributable to the quenching of FA fluorescence by the positioning of the pyridinium head group near the FA fluorophore. Anionic and nonionic surfactants showed little to no effect on the FA fluorescence.