Advantages and disadvantages of using soapless detergents
Advantages:

  1. Soapless detergents do not form scum in hard water so that they can be used in hard water.
  2. Soapless detergents can be used in strongly acidic solutions.
  3. Saopless detergents can be made to serve a specific purpose.

Disadvantages:

  1. Some soapless detergents are non-biodegradable.

How to decide whether a given detergent is biodegradable or not?
- Detergent with a straight hydrocarbon chain is biodegradable.
- Detergent with a ___branched___ hydrocarbon chain is non-biodegradable.

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            straightchain.gif (27611 bytes)
                                                          it is biodegradable

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              branchedchain.gif (28934 bytes)
                                                          it is non-biodegradable

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Problems associated with the use of detergents

  1. Detergents with a low pH or high pH can cause skin allergies.
  2. Non-biodegradable detergents cannot decomposed by bacteria.
  3. The lather formed thick foams and these foams would kill the water life.
  4. The decomposition of detergents uses up the oxygen in water. Water life may die due to
    lack of oxygen

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