Fluorescent agent detected in laundry detergent? Don't panic, the acute toxicity of fluorescent agent is equivalent to that of table salt

Fluorescent agent detected in laundry detergent? Don't panic, the acute toxicity of fluorescent agent is equivalent to that of table salt

Audit expert: Gan Qiang

Lecturer at Beijing Institute of Technology, PhD in Applied Chemistry

Whether it is the "Blue Moon fluorescent whitening agent incident", "Facial masks cause girls' fluorescent faces", or "Most sanitary napkins on the market contain fluorescent agents", these news have all triggered widespread discussion and controversy in society, and as a result, more and more consumers have begun to pay attention to whether fluorescent agents are added to the products.

Source: Internet

So, why do these products use fluorescent agents? Are fluorescent agents really that scary?

1

What is fluorescent agent?

Before understanding fluorescent agents, you must first understand fluorescence.

Fluorescence is really a very broad term, including many kinds of luminescence phenomena based on different principles, such as will-o'-the-wisp that stores high-energy rays and slowly emits visible light; fluorescent sticks that emit light through artificial chemical reactions; fireflies that emit light through biochemical reactions; and the Victoria jellyfish, which, under the action of the fluorescent protein gene, can synthesize green fluorescent protein, which emits green fluorescence under the irradiation of blue light to ultraviolet light.

Aequorea Victoria Source: Wikipedia

In addition, many fermented foods in life, such as soy sauce, white wine, black tea, coffee, etc., also produce fluorescence. Fluorescence itself is just a physical phenomenon, and the fluorescence you see is a kind of visible light.

In real life, what people often call fluorescent agents are actually fluorescent brighteners. Their chemical composition is diphenylethylene derivatives, also known as "white dyes". They are light yellow powders and are a complex organic compound.

Bistriazine aminostilbene fluorescent brightener molecular structure

The reason why fluorescent whitening agent can whiten is that it can absorb invisible near-ultraviolet light (wavelength range is about 360nm ~ 380nm) and convert it into visible light and reflect it out, increasing the reflectivity of the object to light and making the intensity of the reflected light exceed the original intensity of the visible light on the object.

Photon absorption and fluorescence radiation process of fluorescent brightener

Source: Pixabay

Simply put, it absorbs invisible ultraviolet rays and converts them into bluish visible light, visually improving the whiteness and gloss of objects.

Because white objects in daily life absorb blue light in visible light, making the objects appear slightly yellow, affecting the appearance of the product. Therefore, merchants use fluorescent brighteners to absorb ultraviolet light and convert it into blue emitted light, which complements the yellow color of the product itself. The product will appear whiter and brighter to the naked eye, leaving people with the impression of "clean and high quality".

Brightly colored clothing source: Pixabay

Fluorescent whitening agents were first used in the textile industry because of their special whitening and brightening effects. Nowadays, fluorescent agents appear in all aspects of our lives, whether it is the clothes we wear, the cleaning products in the kitchen, office stationery... There are more or less fluorescent ingredients. It can be said that wherever there is white, there is fluorescent agent.

Highlighter source: Pixabay

2

Are fluorescent whitening agents toxic and carcinogenic?

However, there are always some micro-businesses and self-media that turn fluorescent agents into "poisons", so there are a series of statements that we often hear, such as "fluorescent agents cause cancer and teratogenesis" and "fluorescent agents cause uterine diseases in girls". So, does adding fluorescent whitening agents to products in our daily lives really harm our health?

Laundry detergent source: Pixabay

How could it be possible that no one has studied the safety of something that is used on such a large scale? In fact, as early as the 1950s, foreign institutions and companies have conducted comprehensive and in-depth research on the safety of fluorescent agents.

Research results show that fluorescent whitening agents are non-irritating to the skin and eyes, have no skin sensitization and phototoxicity, are non-toxic or low-toxic in oral and dermal toxicity, are non-carcinogenic, non-reproductive toxicity and teratogenicity, and are not mutagenic (i.e., non-genotoxic).

Clothes brightened by fluorescent whitening agents Source丨Pixabay

In the past, experts and scholars tried their best to prove that fluorescent whitening agents are harmful to the human body. However, these assumptions were eventually proven to be wrong through rigorous scientific research by toxicologists.

At present, there is no authoritative conclusion in medicine as to whether fluorescent whitening agents are carcinogenic to humans, and there is also a lack of relevant research data on how much fluorescent whitening agent intake will cause harm to human health.

The test report of the European Detergent Association (AISE) "Risk Assessment of the Impact of Household Detergent Ingredients on Human Health and the Environment - Fluorescent Brightener FWA-5" shows that fluorescent brighteners have no carcinogenic reaction.

The European Institute for Human and Environmental Assessment (HERA) conducted an in-depth study on the safety of several fluorescent whitening agents and concluded that fluorescent whitening agents have no negative impact on humans or the environment. This conclusion has also been confirmed by the Netherlands National Environmental Protection Agency (RIVM).

Toxicologist Professor Wu Zhigang emphasized that the acute toxicity level of fluorescent whitening agents used in detergents is equivalent to that of table salt. Even if ingested by mistake, it will not accumulate in the body and can be quickly and completely excreted through normal metabolism. There is no possibility of teratogenicity or carcinogenicity. Unless you eat 10 bags of washing powder containing fluorescent whitening agents in a short period of time, you don't have to worry too much.

Scientists have conducted research on fluorescent agents for decades and have not found any problems worthy of attention, so there is no need to worry.

However, for a very small number of individuals, there is indeed the possibility of allergic reactions, but the fluorescent dose required to trigger an allergic reaction is much greater than the daily exposure. The only thing to worry about fluorescent agents in clothing is that they may cause skin allergies in some specific sensitive people, which is one of the reasons why some countries restrict the use of fluorescent agents in clothing or sanitary napkins.

3

my country's regulations on the use of fluorescent agents

Although there is no direct data at home and abroad to prove that fluorescent whitening agents are carcinogenic to humans, in order to protect human health and safety, my country's industry standards stipulate the types of fluorescent whitening agent structures allowed in laundry detergent products, and also clearly stipulate that the use of fluorescent whitening agents in products such as food packaging paper, food processing equipment detergents and tableware detergents is prohibited or restricted.

Clean tableware source: Pixabay

my country's industry standards also stipulate that no migratable fluorescent substances can be detected in daily necessities such as wet wipes and napkins. Migratable fluorescent substances refer to fluorescent additives that can be transferred to human skin or mucous membranes through washing, biting, sweating or touching. Various foods, paper products, cosmetics and other products that add fluorescent brighteners need to be tested by national standards or industry standards and can only be sold if they pass the inspection.

Wet wipes source: Pixabay

Therefore, if you detect fluorescent whitening agents with a purple light flashlight in your daily life, don't panic. As long as the product has a certificate of inspection, it is harmless to the human body.

Source: Internet

In fact, it is not just fluorescent whitening agents. The content of all product additives that meet national standards is within the safe range. As long as you don't buy some "three-no" products when buying daily necessities or food, there will be basically no problem.

Source: Digital Beijing Science Center

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