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  • Synthetic detergents have an advantage over usual soaps as far as cleansing power is concerned. But the use of synthetic detergents over a long time creates environmental pollution How can the pollution caused by synthetic detergents be minimized

Synthetic detergents have an advantage over usual soaps as far as cleansing power is concerned. But the use of synthetic detergents over a long time creates environmental pollution. How can the pollution caused by synthetic detergents be minimized? Classify the detergents according to their chemical nature.

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Synthetically manufactured detergents have the characteristic properties of soap, but they do not contain soap. And due to its ability to work in both hard water and soft water, they are highly preferred. Detergents are divided into three categories depending on their chemical nature -

(i) Anionic detergents – These are constituted of long chains of hydrocarbons or alcohols and sodium alkylbenzene. They are designed for cleansing purposes.  e.g., CH_3(CH_2)_{10}CH_2OSO_3^{-} Na^{+}

(ii) Cationic detergents – cationic detergents contain the quaternary ammonium salts of chlorides, bromides, or acetates as anions.

(iii) Non-ionic detergents – These detergents do not have any ion present in their constitute, for example, CH_3(CH_2)_{16}COO(CH_2CH_2O)_nCH_2CH_2OH, formed using stearic acid and polyethylene glycol.

 

To combat the pollution caused by detergents, the hydrocarbon chains can be made shorter and less branched to make the compound biodegradable

Posted by

Gurleen Kaur

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