Laundry detergent pods is a new category of the detergent products family. It's usually a jelly gel pod. People online have a challenge to eat the Tide pods which is very dangerous! What't the pods are made of make it toxic than normal liquid ?
The laundry detergent pods made of two parts Number one is the Water soluble Film (PVA polyvinyl alcohol). PVA is a colorless, water-soluble synthetic resin employed principally in the treating of textiles and paper.
PVA is unique among polymers (chemical compounds made up of large, multiple-unit molecules) in that it is not built up in polymerization reactions from single-unit precursor molecules known as monomers. Instead, PVA is made by dissolving another polymer, polyvinyl acetate (PVAc), in an alcohol such as methanol and treating it with an alkaline catalyst such as sodium hydroxide. The resulting hydrolysis, or “alcoholysis,” reaction removes the acetate groups from the PVAc molecules without disrupting their long-chain structure.
When the reaction is allowed to proceed to completion, the product is highly soluble in water and insoluble in practically all organic solvents. Incomplete removal of the acetate groups yields resins less soluble in water and more soluble in certain organic liquids.
This character is used in the detergent pods. The film can dissolve in cold water,from the data provide by the film manufacturer the film can dissolve in 4 degree water in 3 minutes. Which ensure the pods will not stuck in the washing drum.A good thing of the PVA is it's solution is eco friendly can be digest by fungus.
Another part is the liquid in the pods. It's usually a ultra concentrated surfactant and additives. Normal liquid detergent usually have a surfactant percentage at 16-25%,but the pods can reach 70%-85%.this why the pods manufacturer claim that they are three times more powerful. In general laundry pods formula the water percentage is usually less than 5% to make sure the pods won't enlarge during storage.
The surfactant and additives are special choosed from a great numbers,they have to not react with film and have a powerful cleanbility. The liquid also be ask to add bitterant to stop the "challenge" before the challenge happens.
Are pods safe? This is a question be asked when the pods came out in early 2012. The answer is yes. The laundry detergent has a special program united most of the manufacturers on the world make standards for the package of the pods and the waring labels. The package must be child proof so you can find the pods containers usually need two hands to open. Which is difficult for children under 5 years old. And the thing is parents should look after their babies carefully. In the kitchen there are knives and they are much danger than pods.
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Poly(vinyl alcohol) – biodegradable vinyl material
Links:http://www.chemikinternational.com/pdf/2010/07_2010/chemik_2010_07_08_523_530.pdf
https://pubs.rsc.org/-/content/articlelanding/2016/ra/c6ra05742j/unauth#!divAbstract
SDS of TIDE PODS
https://www.pg.com/productsafety/msds/2014/Tide%20Pods%20MSDS%20July%202014.pdf
https://www.pg.com/productsafety/sds/SDS_2016/Tide_Pods-Original.pdf
