Phosphate Free Tests

Phosphates have been a part of cleaners and detergents for decades. Phosphate molecules containing phosphorus along with oxygen atoms are particularly good at combining with minerals in hard water. This ensures that the cleaners still lather well and reduces the scale and soap scum that can build up when a facility has hard water. Phosphates have become one of the most common ingredients in detergents because of how well they do this job.

Unfortunately, phosphates have some environmental disadvantages. Although phosphates themselves are not toxic, the accumulation of phosphorus in the environment has been shown to contribute to algae growth or rapid growth of algae. These algal blooms can produce toxins that can pose health risks to aquatic wildlife, land animals and even humans.

Realizing these risks, public institutions and non-governmental organizations took action to restrict their use. Initially, it was perceived that phosphate-free substitutes do not perform particularly well in producing less foam or leaving residue. Phosphate-free cleaners are a safer choice for the environment and human health.

Public interest in replacing phosphates in all cleaning products remains high. Fortunately, there have been significant advances in the formulation of cleaning products since the early days of phosphate-free cleaners. Today's phosphate-free cleaners offer the same level of cleaning ability and performance as older formulas without environmental concerns. Users can easily switch to the use of phosphate-free cleaners without sacrificing performance.

Phosphates in detergent refer to the use of phosphates as an ingredient in the detergent product. For the consumer, the advantage of using phosphates in laundry detergent or dishwashing liquid is that they chelate calcium and magnesium ions, making detergents more efficient. The downside to using phosphates is that they stay in the wastewater and eventually turn into a natural body of water. While phosphates have low toxicity, they instead cause nutrient pollution and feed on algae. This leads to eutrophication and causes harmful algal bloom.

You can work with EUROLAB laboratory within the scope of phosphate-free tests.