Bleach is a chemical substance that removes or lighens the color by REDOX reaction of colored molecules into colorless molecules to achieve the function of bleaching. Bleach can not only improve the color of food, but also has many effects such as bacteriostasis, so it is widely used in food processing. Oxidizing bleach has few practical applications except for a few varieties such as benzoyl peroxide as a flour treatment agent. As for hydrogen peroxide, it is only permitted in some areas for the preservation of raw milk, dried bean curd in bags, and is not used as an oxidative bleaching agent. Bleach consumes oxygen in food through chemical action such as reduction, destroys and inhibits food oxidase activity and food hair color factors, makes food Browning pigments fade or free from Browning, and also has a certain anti-corrosion effect.
Sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) is a common bleaching agent, which is widely used in textile, paper, food processing and other industries. Its bleaching principle is mainly to remove colored substances through oxidation, so that the substance becomes white.
Below we will introduce the bleaching principle of sodium hypochlorite in detail.
First, sodium hypochlorite breaks down into hypochlorous acid (HCLO) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) in an aqueous solution. Hypochlorous acid is a strong oxidizing agent, which can oxidize with double bonds in organic matter, aromatic compounds, nitrogen compounds, etc., and decompose colored substances to remove color. Sodium hydroxide plays a role in regulating PH value, so that the bleaching effect of hypochlorous acid is more obvious. Secondly, the process of sodium hypochlorite bleaching mainly includes two steps, oxidation and decomposition. In the oxidation process, the hypochlorous acid part of the sodium hypochlorite molecule reacts with organic matter to decompose it into a colorless substance. In the process of decomposition, sodium hydroxide plays a catalytic role to accelerate the decomposition of hypochlorous acid, so that the bleaching effect is more significant. Finally, the principle of sodium hypochlorite bleaching also involves the effect of light. Sodium hypochlorite is more likely to decompose under light conditions, so photosensitizers are usually added in the bleaching process to improve the bleaching effect. Active oxygen ions produced by hypochlorous acid decomposition under light conditions are more oxidizing and can remove colored substances more effectively.
The household bleach sodium hypochlorite NaClO is used in the home to bleach clothes, remove stains and disinfect them. This is because sodium hypochlorite produces chlorine free radicals – oxidants that can react with many substances.
Hair bleach contains H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide), which releases oxygen free radicals when it breaks down. Both oxygen and chlorine free radicals have the same bleaching effect. Chlorine bleach is often used with laundry detergent, and housewives use it as a disinfectant. After use in household cleaning or laundry, 95-98% of sodium hypochlorite will break down into salt and water. The remaining 2-5% can be easily removed through sewage treatment or septic tanks, and it will degrade like garden soil that helps sprout. Liquid bleach does not enter the environment because it reacts with organic matter in the pipes. Be careful not to mix bleach with cleaning agents that contain ammonia, and do not use chlorine bleach to clean urine stains, as this can produce toxic chloramine and explosive nitrogen trichloride. And don’t mix bleach with toilet cleaner, as this can produce toxic chlorine gas.
In summary, the principle of sodium hypochlorite bleaching is to remove colored substances in organic matter through the oxidation and decomposition of hypochlorite, so that the substance becomes white. In practical applications, factors such as temperature, pH, and light conditions need to be taken into account to achieve the best bleaching effect. By deeply understanding the bleaching principle of sodium hypochlorite, we can better master its application technology, improve bleaching efficiency and ensure product quality.Welcome to BLUEWAV to buy sodium hypochlorite generator to produce your own bleaching products!