Gilbert P A, DeJong A L
Ciba Found Symp. 1977(57):253-68. doi: 10.1002/9780470720387.ch14.
About 5% of the total phosphate mined worldwide is used in detergents. The chemical form in which phosphate is used in detergents is predominantly pentasodium triphosphate (PSTP). The most significant feature for the use of PSTP in detergents is its ability to form soluble and strong complexes with calcium and magnesium ions. This provides a strong synergism with regard to detergency when PSTP is used in combination with synthetic surfactants. Other important features of PSTP are its ability to disperse dirt in the washing solution, its weak alkalinity, its crystalline form when dry (which enables production of crisp powders) and, last but not least, its toxicological acceptability. The development of PSTP for use in detergents has a history of over 25 years. In certain areas of highly developed countries where effluents from major centres of population can reach stagnant surface waters a rapid increase of eutrophication of these surface waters is observed. Phosphates are being recognized as one of the essential nutrients contributing to the eutrophication and detergents are one of the many sources of phosphate discharged to the environment. This is now causing demands for reduction in or even banning of the use of phosphates in detergents. Major reserach projects and some practical approaches to meeting these demands are described. The potential environmental impact of removing phosphate from detergents remains, however, doubtful, as it has been demonstrated in Sweden that phosphate removal by sewage treatment is the most effective measure to control phosphate discharges. This makes the case of phosphates in detergents an example of how science and technology can become entangled with politics.
全球开采的磷酸盐总量中约5%用于洗涤剂。洗涤剂中使用的磷酸盐的化学形式主要是三聚磷酸五钠（PSTP）。PSTP用于洗涤剂的最重要特性是它能够与钙和镁离子形成可溶性强络合物。当PSTP与合成表面活性剂联合使用时，在去污力方面具有很强的协同作用。PSTP的其他重要特性包括它能在洗涤溶液中分散污垢、弱碱性、干燥时的晶体形态（这使得能够生产出干爽的粉末），以及最后但同样重要的是，它的毒理学可接受性。PSTP用于洗涤剂已有25年以上的历史。在一些高度发达国家的某些地区，主要人口中心的污水能够流入静止的地表水，这些地表水的富营养化迅速加剧。磷酸盐被认为是导致富营养化的重要营养素之一，而洗涤剂是排放到环境中的众多磷酸盐来源之一。这现在导致了减少甚至禁止在洗涤剂中使用磷酸盐的要求。文中描述了满足这些要求的主要研究项目和一些实际方法。然而，从洗涤剂中去除磷酸盐对环境的潜在影响仍值得怀疑，因为在瑞典已经证明，通过污水处理去除磷酸盐是控制磷酸盐排放的最有效措施。这使得洗涤剂中磷酸盐的情况成为一个科学技术如何与政治纠缠在一起的例子。
