Soaps and Detergents By: Nicole Renzi Chemistry Essay Example

away grime and soap. As surfactants, detergents decrease water surface tension for optimal elimination of filth. Soaps are potassium or sodium salts of fatty acids dissolvable in water made through chemical treatment with strong alkali and hydrolysis from fats, oils or their fatty acids. Boiling soap and detergent solutions on a hot plate until pasty is required while fatty acids are purified through distillation before being neutralized with alkali to produce soap and water. For making soap, animal or plant-sourced fats/oils containing unique blends of several triglycerides compose each type of triglyceride molecule consisting of one glycerin molecule alongside three fatty acid molecules per molecule variety.These weak acids contain a carboxylic acid group that includes one H atom, two O atoms, and one C atom. Additionally, there is a hydrocarbon chain attached to the carboxylic acid group consisting of long chains of C atoms with two H atoms. The hydrophilic end, also known as the carboxylic end, attracts water while the hydrophobic end adheres to oil and grease. Soap can produce soap scum or residue from minerals like Ca, Mg, and Fe found in hard water due to salts forming insoluble particles when combined with the fatty acid carbon chain. Mixing basic tap water with soap results in less foam and a slightly cloudy appearance due to mineral concentration determining water hardness and affecting suds formation. Multivalent actions like positively charged metal complexes such as Ca+ and MGM+ have charges greater than normal which can enter a water supply through leaching from minerals found in an aquifer including common calcium-containing minerals such as calcite and gypsum; dolomite is another common magnesium mineral containing calcium. Rainwater

and distilled water are considered soft because they don't contain many ions. When calcium carbonate scales dissolve or form, the equilibrium reaction can be described by cacao + CO + H2O ca+ + CHECK-.Temporary hardness is caused by dissolved carbonate minerals such as calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate, resulting in the presence of calcium and magnesium ions (Ca2+, Mg2+) along with carbonate and bicarbonate anions (CO32-, HCO3-). This type of water hardness can be reduced through boiling or lime softening, which precipitates the formation of calcium carbonate from bicarbonate. In contrast to permanent hardness, caused by sulfate and chloride compounds, soap scum can accumulate due to the high levels of metal ions present. This residue can decrease soap effectiveness when cleaning surfaces. After conducting a pH titration procedure, further testing was done on soaps and detergents using tap water, pond water, and distilled water to check for undesirable residue or soap scum.After performing the necessary procedures, such as lime softening using calcium carbonate, the resultant relative pH values of newly synthesized soap and detergent solutions can be compared with those of previously titrated wastewater. This comparison accurately determines whether calcium or magnesium has been properly removed. The test results are shown in figure 1-6. Titration is a process used to adjust an acidic solution by adding a base or a basic solution by adding an acid until it reaches a neutral state. This transformation ensures that previously too acidic or basic soaps and detergents become more neutralized for use in cleaning wildlife affected by oil spills. Detergents are similar to soaps, as they contain hydrocarbons found in fats and oils that attract oil and grease

present in soils like fatty acid chains in soap. The current detergent formulation uses both laurel alcohol and Noah as sources for the hydrophobic end of its surfactant molecule, enabling it to avoid generating any harsh residue when faced with hard water. Multivalent actions make detergents highly efficient cleaners since they bind rapidly to soil filth and oil.Soap scum is usually caused by the formation of a solid precipitate resulting from 2+ ions that destroy surfactant properties. Calcium castrate, which is formed from sodium castrate (the main ingredient of soap: 2CLC CHOOSE- + ca+ -+ (CLC cacophony)), is a significant component of this scum. Surfactant molecules lower the surface tension in water and allow detergents to effectively wet absorbent materials such as dishes, clothing, and even animals saturated with crude oil. Detergents can be synthesized to react in a certain way when introduced to hard water and are soluble in acidic and alkali solutions, resulting in minimal soap scum. This is why detergent is used for washing clothes instead of basic soap in a washer machine. Surfactants act as an emulsifier, preventing oily soils from transferring back onto surface areas. The polar and monopoly properties of detergents and soaps allow them to draw oils and dirt from surfaces. The micelle, which is essential for removing dirt, oil, and grease on surfaces, is created due to the hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties of detergents and soaps producing a spherical structure. The hydrophilic end maintains the sphere through strong hydrogen bonding with the surrounding solvent while the hydrophobic end attracts grease, oil or dirt on surface areas.The micelle is an effective emulsifier and surface cleaner, surpassing the cleaning

power of water alone. Taking into account pH, titration, and properties of soaps and detergents, it's determined that vegetable or olive oil-based soap is the most environmentally friendly cleaning agent. Conversely, detergent containing animal fats can be harmful to animals and cause corrosion if not neutralized adequately. Table 2 lists pH properties for both detergents tested. Overall, detergents are superior at removing dirt and oil from surfaces compared to soaps. Method one synthesized detergent proved to be the most efficient (refer to table 1), but its production from animal byproducts makes it unsuitable for environmental groups. Heavy animal fats like lard have low solubility in water making them less effective than vegetable oils in soap production as shown in table 3. Among tested soaps, vegetable-based soap produces less lather making it a better cleaning agent than lard soap.When using olive oil soap to clean glassware, a slimy residue may be left behind, whereas vegetable-based soap leaves a cleaner residue according to Table 4. Both olive oil and vegetable oil are considered superior soaps or detergents due to their higher quality resulting in less bubbles and better cleaning performance compared to other soaps. Soft water is preferred for lathering soap as it reduces the amount needed, but softened water's ions hinder the ability to rinse off soap, particularly when cleaning crude oil from animals or surfaces. When sodium hydroxide reacts with triglyceride molecules, glycerol and three molecules of sodium castrate are produced which release their sodium ion when exposed to water. Vegetables and olive oils penetrate skin pores more easily than animal oils providing a thorough clean by removing trapped dirt and oil. Animal oils are

harder to remove as they tend towards being more saturated with a lower affinity for binding with water molecules. Soaps made with olive or vegetable oil have more soluble fatty acid chains than those made with lard or vegetable shortening. Vegetable-based soap is preferred by environmentalists for neutralizing crude oil spills quickly while also being environmentally friendly and possessing superior cleaning ability compared to olive oil-based soap.Soap is a natural and eco-friendly cleaning agent that does not contain animal byproducts. It easily biodegrades and improves water's ability to remove oily and particulate soils. Conversely, synthetic surfactants in detergents do not decompose as quickly, creating waste. While plant-based detergents have minimal impact on the environment, petroleum-based ones are more effective but can be harmful. After synthesizing four soaps and two detergents, it is necessary to test their effectiveness on wildlife affected by oil spills for environmental use. Disposing of these substances properly is essential due to their acidic or basic nature that could cause negative impacts. Although production errors may occur during boiling, they do not significantly affect results accuracy. Evaluating any adverse effects on the environment from using soap or detergent is critical to determine which one best suits environmental needs.