Detergents and Textile Washing: Principles and Practice

A comprehensive survey of all the parameters involved in the process of washing textiles, in particular the action of detergents. The book describes the physical and chemical principles involved in the washing process and the composition, action, and production of household and industrial detergents. The authors emphasize throughout the ecological and toxicologjical aspects of using detergents and survey products and processes in use not only in Europe but also in Japan and the USA. They have also included a survey of methods used in detergent analysis, a discussion of the economic importance of detergents, and information on textile types and washing machines. This book will be of interest not only to industrial specialists (producers of raw materials and manufacturers of detergents, washing machines, and textiles), water and wastewater experts, ecologists, and toxicologists, but also to journalists, consumer organizations, and environmental consultants, and general readers seeking insight into this complicated process.