An alkali-hydrolyzable surfactant, (1-tetra-decyloxycarbonyl)trimethylammonium chloride, was used as an emulsifier for emulsion polymerization of styrene in water. The polymerization yielded a high molecular-weight polymer almost quantitatively. Addition of a small amount of NaOH to the resulting latex solution precipitated the polymer immediately. Analysis of the centrifuged solid indicated almost perfection of both recovery of the polymer and removal of surface-active species from it. Minimization of ionic species in the polymer solid was confirmed by a high contact angle of the polymer film with water. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.