Sodium hypochlorite in bleaching

Sodium hypochlorite has a wide application as a bleaching agent for textiles and textile laundering. It also acts as a powerful disinfectant. Sodium hypochlorite - commonly called bleach in the US - is made by reacting chlorine in a solution of sodium hydroxide (caustic soda). The resultant product, due to the nature of the process, as well as other factors, usually has a significant amount of contamination from metal ions and/or substantial amounts of suspended solids. These conditions adversely affect the quality of the bleach, and significantly shorten its shelf life.In order to meet the tough specifications drinking water treatment facilities and other industries mandate for a high purity sodium hypochlorite, the metal ions and suspended solids must be removed from the bleach in additional process steps. This critical step is achieved with a complete filtration process that removes heavy metals, suspended solids, and other contaminants.Scientific evidence shows that slowly degradable organic substances which degrade slowly may be produced as reactants from the use of hypochlorite – the so-called ‘organo-chlorides’. These substances are measured by the analytical method of ‘absorbable organic halogens’ (AOX).In Germany the use of hypochlorite in laundries is regulated and the maximum amount of AOX allowed in the waste water from the laundries is fixed.Sodium hypochlorite is very hazardous to human health due to the etching effect that may cause skin damage and damage to the lungs. In its compound form it is very toxic to aquatic organisms and bacteria. However the toxic hypochlorite form will never reach the waste water treatment plants or the aquatic environment due to its highly active properties causing it to react with the organic substances in the waste water in the sewer.Storage of sodium hypochlorite should be undertaken very carefully since the substance is very corrosive and may lead to evaporation of chloride, which causes skin damage and damage to the lungs. In particular the substance should be kept away from acids since it reacts very rapidly with acids and creates a mixture of hydrochloric acid and chloride.