Bleach
ALTERNATIVE NAME/S: chlorine bleach; sodium hypochlorite (NaCO1)
DETAILS:
Bleach was first introduced by French chemist Claude Louis Berthollet* in 1787, when he discovered the properties of chlorine. In 1789 it was commercialized by the English businessman Tennant*
Bleach was first used in the textile industry to down the chemical bonds holding ‘chromophores’ together. The result was that the chromophores contained in pigments and dyes could no longer absorb light and became colorless. One side effect caused by the bleaching of rags used in paper production was the appearance of the first white paper (until then, paper had been the color of the original rags)
Sodium hypochlorite, produced by the reaction between chlorine and sodium hydroxide, is used to treat drinking water and swimming pools, as it acts as a very effective disinfectant. Mixed with water at about two parts to a million, it is an effective way to make water safer to drink.
ONELINER: Bleach chemical product that is used industrially or domestically to remove color (whitening) from a fabric.
EXTRA CONNECTIONS: None
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