Household Chemical Assignment

Chemistry Module 1

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Laundry
Sodium Hypochlorite
NaClO

Sodium Hypochlorite (Bleach) is a chemical compound derived from natural

sources, which is used to clean and whiten materials. A stain on a material is
essentially a chemical compound. The bleach breaks down the molecules into
smaller particles so that it can separate from the material that’s being cleaned.

2NaOH + Cl2 → NaClO + NaCl + H2O

Caustic soda is usually produced and shipped as a concentrated solution. Once in

the factory, the concentrated solution is diluted with water to form a new
solution. Heat is then created when the water dilutes the strong caustic soda
solution. The diluted caustic soda is cooled before it is reacted with Chlorine.
Chlorine and the caustic soda solution are reacted to form sodium hypochlorite
bleach. To create sodium hypochlorite, liquid or gaseous chlorine is circulated
through the caustic soda solution. Often this cooled bleach is settled or filtered to
remove impurities that can discolor the bleach or its decomposition. The finished
sodium hypochlorite bleach is shipped to a bottling plant or bottled on-site in an
aqueous solution.

http://www.madehow.com/Volume-2/Bleach.html

Sodium Dodecyl Benzene Sulphonate

C18H29NaO3S

A detergent is a mixture of surfactants with cleaning properties in dilute

solutions. Soapless or synthetic detergents are manufactured from organic
chemicals usually derived from petroleum it will form gels, emulsify oil and
lower the surface tension of water. Detergents are classified into three groups,
anionic, cationic and non-ionic detergents. Although similar to soap, detergents
are actually quite different. Soaps are made from natural resources like fats and
oils while detergents are synthetically made

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Detergent powder manufacturing includes the steps of spray drying,
agglomeration, dry mixing or a combination of these methods. In the spray
drying process, dry and liquid ingredients are first combined into a slurry, or
thick suspension. The slurry is heated and then pumped to the top of a tower
where it is sprayed through nozzles under high pressure to produce small
droplets. The droplets fall through a current of hot air, forming hollow granules
as they dry. The dried granules are collected from the bottom of the spray tower
where they are screened to achieve a relatively uniform size. After the granules
have been cooled, heat sensitive ingredients that are not compatible with the
spray drying temperatures (such as bleach, enzymes and fragrance) are added.

http://www.slideshare.net/muhammedthahir129/soap-and-detergents-
15243636

Kitchen Cupboards
Sodium Bicarbonate
NaHCO3

Sodium Bicarbonate is a white solid that is crystalline but can often appear in a
powder form. It is a component of a mineral natron and is found dissolved in
mineral springs. It’s mainly used in baking and as a leavening agent. It reacts
with components in batters, releasing carbon dioxide, which cause the expansion
of the batter with e.g. Cakes.

An example of the balanced equation for the decomposition of sodium

bicarbonate into sodium carbonate, carbon dioxide, and water is:

2NaHCO3(s) → Na2CO3(s) + CO2(g) + H2O(g)

The manufacturing of baking powder begins with a production of sodium

carbonate. In this process ammonia and carbon dioxide are passed through a
saltwater solution. This results in a compound called ammonium bicarbonate,
which reacts with the salt to produce crude sodium bicarbonate crystals and an
ammonium chloride. The crystals are then filtered out and washed to remove
any residual chloride. From here the material is heated and reacted with carbon
dioxide. It is then cooled which results in a sodium bicarbonate.

http://www.madehow.com/Volume-6/Baking-Powder.html

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Vinegar
CH3COOH

Vinegar is a liquid that contains 5-20% acetic acid, water, and other trace
chemicals that produce flavorings. Either a fast or slow process is applied to
allow the fermentation of ethanol by adding acetic acid bacteria to produced the
acetic acid. Fast methods of production add “mother of vinegar”, which is
composed of cellulose and acetic acid. This leads to the vinegar being produced
in 20 hours to three days. The longer fermentation period allows for the
accumulation of a nontoxic slime. This process is more traditional.

Like other acids, the acetic acid in vinegar attacks the enamel of the teeth and
will cause decay and sensitivity in the teeth. Some organizations recommend
minimising consumption, not swirling it in the mouth, and counteracting the
effects by using a baking soda mouth rinse. It can also be used as a cleaning agent
as it can dissolve mineral deposits from glass and other surfaces.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinegar

Medicine Cabinet
Hydrogen Peroxide
H2O2

Hydrogen Peroxide is the simplest peroxide compound and is used as a strong

bleaching agent, disinfectant and oxidizer. The manufacturing process involves
the catalysis of the reaction of H2 (obtained from processing Maui Gas) with
atmospheric O2 to give H2O2. Anthraquinone (Q) is used as a H2 carrier.
The first step in making hydrogen peroxide is hydrogenation where palladium
catalyses the reaction between H2 and Anthraquinone to create
Anthrahydroquinone (H2Q), and then the palladium catalyst are filtered out of
the solution.
Q + H2 → H2Q
Second step involves oxidation of the H2Q. The solution is oxidised by blowing air
through the solution, forming: H2O2:
H2Q + O2 → Q + H2O2
Final step is the extraction of H2O2. The hydrogen peroxide is removed in a liquid-
liquid extraction column and concentrated by vacuum distillation.

http://nzic.org.nz/ChemProcesses/production/1E.pdf

Paracetamol
C8H9NO2

Paracetamol is a pain reliever and a fever reducer. It performs its function by

blocking the production of prostaglandins, which is a substance our body
releases in response to illness and injury. Prostaglandins cause pain and swelling
and can be released into the brain causing a fever.

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The starting material for the commercial manufacture of paracetamol is phenol,
which is nitrated to give a mixture of the ortho and para-nitrotoluene. The o-
isomer is removed by steam distillation, and the p-nitro group reduced to a p-
amino group. This is then acetylated to give paracetamol.

http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/rzepa/mim/drugs/html/paracet_text.htm

Bathroom
Sodium Laureth Sulfate
NaC12H25SO4

Sodium laureth sulfate (which is also called sodium lauryl ether sulfate) are the
cleaning agents in shampoos. Of the two, sodium lauryl sulfate is the more
common, as it is the less expensive of the two. Both substances are used not only
in shampoos, but in a range of household cleaning products too. This is due to
their ability to produce foam, cut through grease and suspend soil particles so
that they can easily be washed away. Cosmetic chemists in the laboratory
initially create new shampoos. These scientists begin by determining what
characteristics the shampoo formula will have.

Once the features of the shampoo are identified, a formula is created in the
laboratory. These initial batches are made in small beakers using various
ingredients. The more important ingredients in shampoo formulations are water,
detergents, foam boosters, thickeners, conditioning agents, preservatives,
modifiers, and special additives.
http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Shampoo.html

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Hydrochloric Acid
HCL

Hydrochloric acid is a clear colourless solution of hydrogen chloride. It is a highly

corrosive strong mineral acid with many industrial uses. The acid is mainly used
as a chemical reagent, but it has numerous applications, including household
cleaning of the toilet.

The production of hydrochloric acid is always integrated in a chlor-alkali facility.

In the facility, a salt solution is electrolyzed producing chlorine, sodium
hydroxide and hydrogen. The pure chlorine gas can be re-combined with the
hydrogen gas, forming hydrogen chloride gas

Cl2 + H2→ 2HCl

The reaction takes place in what is commonly referred to as an acid burner. The
resulting hydrogen chloride gas is absorbed in demineralized water, resulting in
hydrochloric acid. The product resulting from this process is often called burner
grade HCl.

http://www.reagentchemical.com/production-methods.html

Garden Shed
Glyphosate
C3H8NO5P

Glyphosate is a crop desiccant. It is an organophosphorous compound but is

specifically phosphate. It’s used to kill weed and grasses that can compete with
crops or gardens. Farmers quickly have adopted it, as it allows killing the weeds
without killing the crops. Glyphosate is absorbed through foliage and minimally
through the roots. It inhibits a plant enzyme involved in syntheses, therefore its
more effective on growing plants. An increasing number of crops have been
genetically engineered to be tolerant of glyphosate.

One approach used to synthesize glyphosate industrially, is first to react

iminodiacetic acid with phosphorous acid and hydrochloric acid by a modified
Mannich reaction. Oxidation then leads to the desired glyphosate product.

http://weedcontrolfreaks.com/2014/06/salt-vinegar-and-glyphosate/

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Anhydrous Ammonia
NH3

Anhydrous ammonia is an efficient and widely used source of nitrogen fertilizer.

Anhydrous ammonia has several advantages, including its relatively easy
application and ready availability. It is a chemical made up of one part nitrogen
and three parts hydrogen. When used as an agricultural fertilizer, it is
compressed into a liquid. When injected into the soil, the liquid ammonia
expands into a gas and is readily absorbed in the soil moisture.

3H2 + N2 → 2NH3

Manufacturing process involves removing the sulfur from natural gas with
hydrogen to produce hydrogen sulfide as a byproduct. It then involves removing
the hydrogen sulfide by passing the gas mixture through beds of zinc oxide. The
zinc oxide will react with the hydrogen sulfide to form zinc sulfide and water.
The remaining natural gas will be very high in methane. Heat is added to the
natural gas to about 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit, where inserting steam and a
catalyst such as ferric oxide will cause the methane and steam to form carbon
monoxide and hydrogen. In the presence of enough water, the carbon monoxide
will recombine with the steam to form carbon dioxide and hydrogen.

By removing the majority of the carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide gas, the
remaining traces of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide (with hydrogen) will
form methane and water. The remaining gas will be hydrogen gas of high purity.
Adding a catalyst such as ferric oxide and exactly enough air to the hydrogen gas
can provide one nitrogen atom for every three hydrogen atoms.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/agriculture/nutrient-
management/nitrogen/using-anhydrous-ammonia-safely-on-the-farm/

Swimming Pool
Chlorine Liquid
Cl2

Chlorine is the most widely/commonly used pool sanitizer. It can be found in

liquid, granular, and tablet form. Tablets are easiest for establishing a constant
supply of chlorine, while the other two forms serve best as shock treatments.
Chlorine can also be generated through a chlorine generator, or Salt System.

Chlorine kills bacteria though a fairly simple chemical reaction. The chlorine
solution poured into the water breaks down into many different chemicals,
including hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and hypochlorite ion (OCl-). Both kill
microorganisms and bacteria by attacking the lipids in the cell walls and
destroying the enzymes/structures inside the cell, rendering them oxidised and
harmless.

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Chlorine can be manufactured by electrolysis of a sodium chloride solution. The
production of chlorine results in the co-products caustic soda sodium hydroxide,
(NaOH) and hydrogen gas (H2). These two products, as well as chlorine itself, are
highly reactive. Chlorine can also be produced by the electrolysis of a solution of
potassium chloride, in which case the co-products are hydrogen and caustic
potash (potassium hydroxide). There are three industrial methods for the
extraction of chlorine by electrolysis of chloride solutions:

Cathode: 2H+ (aq) + 2 e− → H2 (g)

Anode: 2Cl− (aq) → Cl2 (g) + 2e−
Overall process: 2NaCl + 2 H2O → Cl2 + H2 + 2NaOH

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chlorine_production

Cyanuric Acid
C3H3N3O3

One of the most common chemicals used for the prevention of chlorine loss in
swimming pools is Cyanuric acid. Cyanuric acid is known as a stabilizer for the
chlorine in swimming pools exposed to sunlight. It helps reduce the chlorine loss
by protecting the free chlorine in the pool from the sun’s ultraviolet rays, which
helps reduce the amount of chlorine needed to maintain proper sanitizer levels.
Because of this, Cyanuric acid can help reduce the cost of maintaining a safe and
clean swimming pool.

Cyanuric acid can be produced by hydrolysis of crude or waste melamine,

followed by crystallization. Acid waste streams from plants producing these
materials contain Cyanuric acid and on occasion, dissolved amino-substituted
triazines:
- Ammeline
- Ammelide
- Melamine.

http://www.autopilot.com/blog/post/264-What-is-Cyanuric-Acid-and-How-
Does-It-Affect-My-Swimming-Pool-Water-