Detergent Industries

1
Detergent Industries

• Chapter 7

2
Enzymes

• Made by all living cells
• Speed up chemical reactions
• Work best at warm temperatures (e.g 40oC)
• Above 60oC, they are destroyed
• In the body, they help with digestion
• - break large molecules into smaller particles

3
Biological detergents

• A detergent containing enzymes
• Enzymes digest stains
• - break large particles (e.g. protein) down into
  small particles
• Non-bio detergents have no enzymes
• Enzymes used are produced by bacteria
• Bacteria grown in an industrial fermenter
• Whilst growing, they release enzymes
• Some people suffer from allergies to bio
  detergents
• - enzymes can be coated

4
Advantage of using biological washing powder

• Reduce fuel costs work at lower temperatures
• Less damage to fabrics less shrinking at low
  temperatures
• Can remove difficult stains, that non-bios
  cant
• - e.g. grass, blood
• Bio detergents often contain several types of
  enzyme
• - e.g. protein-digesting, starch-digesting,
  fat-digesting

5
Environmental impact

• To supply electricity, power stations burn fossil
  fuels
• Release CO2, sulphur dioxide (SO2)
• - CO2 helps global warming
• - SO2 can lead to acid rain
• Bio-detergents can reduce the need for
  electricity

6
Detergents on wildlife

• Detergents are rich in phosphates
• Sewage works break down waste water and
  detergents into harmless wastes
• - bacteria are used to digest the waste
• Some detergents can kill sewage bacteria
• Waste water can pass through sewage works
  untreated
• Untreated waste appears as clouds of foam
• Phosphates can act as fertilisers
• - can help green algae grow in rivers/streams
• - too many algae use up all the oxygen
• To reduce the damage caused by phosphates.