Surfactants can be used in many different cleaning products. Surfactants are derived from the original soaps in the world, something not many people know or are aware of. As many people know some cleaning agents are toxic, but with surfactants being a part of cleaning supplies does it mean that surfactants can be toxic too? That is something that will be discussed in this article.
What is a Surfactant?
Surfactants are surface active agents, meaning that they work similarly to a detergent or with a detergent. Reducing surface tension when combined with liquids like water and other products. It increases how liquids move and spread across a surface or dye or dip a product or item.
What are some Surfactant uses?
For the purpose of reducing the surface tension of something it can be used in these ways:
- Textile Dyeing
- Defoaming agents
- Demulsifiers
- Germicides, Fungicides, Insecticides
- Corrosion Inhibition
- Producing Aerosols
There are more uses of surfactants beyond these, but these are the more common uses of surfactants and more ones that people would know about better.
How can surfactants be toxic?
Surfactants can be toxic in the same way that other cleaners can be toxic. Surfactants can cause irritation to the skin and could cause some burns if handled improperly at different levels. As in levels, different levels of toxicity can determine how toxic a surfactant is but most are fairly low, depending upon the cleaning product in which the surfactant is used. The chemical structure of the surfactant determines its toxicity. Ionic surfactants are found to be the most toxic when mixed in water. It’s crucial for these reasons to follow safety instructions and find which level and structure of surfactant that you are using.
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