Once upon a time, many years ago, people washed their clothes, washed their hair, body and dishes with plain water. Later, to improve the washing properties, they learned to use improvised materials. Among these substances are sand, ash or clay. The revolutionary invention was the first detergent created by the Russian chemist Grigory Petrov. Thanks to some chemical reactions, an excellent detergent was obtained.
Since then, a group of these substances has been called the term detergents. In this article we will discuss what detergents are, as well as what is the principle of their action and what are their chemical properties.
Quick reference
Detergents are some substances or mixtures of substances that significantly enhance the washing qualities of water. If we use a more scientific language, we can say that they reduce the surface tension of liquids.
The most basic and widespread detergent has long been soap made from natural materials. With the development of progress, synthetic detergents began to gain popularity, whose properties are much more pronounced than their natural counterparts.
Such mixtures, made on the basis of oil products that have undergone special processing, are used not only in everyday life, but also on an industrial scale in production. When answering the question of what are detergents, it is worthwhile first of all to pay attention to the most common substance that is part of them. The most popular detergents were those made on the basis of sodium sulfonate.
The principle of action of detergents
To your surprise, there is nothing complicated or confusing about their action. Detergents, as a rule, consist of two components, the first of which is capable of dissolving in oil, and the second in water.
With the help of such a straightforward compound, the detergent gains the ability to wash well all contaminants, including grease.
Environmental impact
It is important to understand that, despite the fact that detergents have firmly entered our daily lives, they nevertheless have an extremely harmful effect on the environment. Water with oil products dissolved in it falls into all water bodies, after which it destroys the vegetation and all inhabitants in them.
The reader will surely say that the use of detergents is not so harmful, because the treatment facilities do not allow such pollution of water bodies. Undoubtedly, water treatment plants are trying to do their job, however, they are not able to completely rid the water resources of all harmful compounds, as they are forced to process a huge amount of incoming pollution daily. For this reason, fish and various vegetation suffer.
Effect on the body
Having given the reader a clear idea of what detergents are, one cannot but mention their effect on human health. When using detergents in everyday life, you should in no case forget about the use of gloves, and it is better to get a mask that protects the respiratory tract from harmful fumes. If you ignore these rules, this can result in serious and irreversible health problems for you. It is especially worth worrying if, after washing, the product remains on the dishes and subsequently enters the body with food.
The main danger of oil getting into the human body is the dissolution of the gastric mucosa with detergents. It is the mucous membrane that suffers in the first place, since it has a fat base, which is dissolved by detergents. Because of this, the risk of gastritis or even stomach ulcers, as well as many other diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract, increases. A good choice on the part of an ordinary city dweller would be to minimize the use of chemical detergents and more often opt for plant-based soaps to protect both the environment and their health.
Conclusion
Let’s hope that this article was useful and interesting for you. Now you know what detergents are, as well as how they affect the nature and the human body. Remember that caring for your body and the world around you is the direct duty of every respectable citizen. Together, we can definitely make the world a better place.