1.APEO
The ecological environmental issues of APEO have been debated for many years. APEO includes nonylphenol polyoxyethylene ether (NEPO) accounting for 80-85%, octylphenol polyoxyethylene ether (OPEO) accounting for more than 15%, dodecylphenol polyoxyethylene ether (DPEO) and dinonyl Phenol polyoxyethylene ether (DNPEO) each accounts for 1%. The world’s annual consumption of alkylphenol polyoxyethylene ethers (APEO) is 880 million pounds, of which more than 80% is nonylphenol polyoxyethylene ethers (NPEO). The potential harm of APEO to the environment has been extensively studied and demonstrated. Some European countries have enacted regulations restricting the production and use of APEO since 1976. The limit of APEO in textiles and clothing exported to Europe is now clearly defined: no more than 30 ppm. my country’s annual exports of textiles and clothing to Europe are worth US$10 billion. With the cancellation of quotas in 2005, this sales trend is bound to rise, so we must take the use of APEO seriously. The restriction on APEO content in ecological textiles and clothing seems to be a matter for printing and dyeing companies, but in fact, this production chain cannot be separated from the close cooperation of the auxiliary industry. Faced with the ban on APEO, we should first pay attention to it, and then take some effective measures to prevent the production and use of APEO-containing additives. The key to solving this problem is to find suitable surfactants to effectively replace APEO in our printing, dyeing and finishing processes. The role and function played in the process.
2. APEO’s ecological security
The ecological impact of APEO can be summarized into the following four aspects: toxicity, biodegradability, environmental hormones, and harmful by-products produced during the production process of APEO. ※Toxicity of NPEO9-10: LD50=1600mg/Kg; ECO50 to water fleas is 42mg/L; ECO50 to algae is 50mg/L, indicating that the toxicity of NPEO to mammals and aquatic organisms is similar to other non-ionic surfactants . ※Biological degradation: APEO is slowly degradable, and its biodegradation rate is 0%-9%. ※Environmental hormones: APEO has a similar effect to estrogen and is a chemical substance that can harm the body’s normal hormone secretion, which is the so-called “female effect”.
3. Harmful by-products are produced during the production process of APEO
During the addition of ethylene oxide to alkylphenols during the production of APEO, the excessive accumulation of ethylene oxide causes the ring structure of the oligomerized ethylene oxide to be dioxane (1,4), that is, dioxane. Alkane. Dioxane is a confirmed carcinogen. Due to the above problems, the industry and governments of some European countries voluntarily reached a consensus to stop the use of APEO in personal consumption detergents and cleaning agents more than ten years ago. The UK stopped using APEO in industrial detergents in 1998. .
To prevent APEO in printing and dyeing auxiliaries from contaminating textiles, you must first find the source of APEO. APEO enters the printing and dyeing factory in the form of auxiliary chemicals. In each printing and dyeing process, APEO achieves its intended function through the physical process of interfacial adsorption or micellar behavior, and its chemical structure does not change. Therefore, the source of APEO is in the additive factory. Auxiliary factories must take measures to keep APEO out of the market first. This is the key to ensuring that textiles are not contaminated with APEO. APEO series products have many excellent functions such as wetting, penetration, emulsification, dispersion, solubilization, and decontamination, so there are many types of textile auxiliaries involved and large amounts are used. For example, the trade names of APEO series products are TX-10, OP-10, and NP-7. 9 and 10 are the main parts of many additives. In addition, TX-18, TX-30, and 40 are important components of some additives. .
3.1 Wetting agents, penetrating agents, and scouring agents are all required to have good wetting and penetrating power. Compared with earlier penetrating agents and scouring agents, if the alkali resistance is not required to be too high, Generally, it is compounded with TX-9.10 as the main body. As their alkali resistance increases, they will later be present in our pretreatment agents in their phosphated form. For example, the penetrating agent is made of 20% TX-10 plus 5% sulfonic acid. The scouring agent with high alkali resistance is esterified with TX-10 and phosphorus pentoxide and then mixed with a certain amount of solvent and water. Refining agent. There is also a certain amount of APEO hidden in enzyme products, because it is necessary to improve the permeability of enzyme products into fibers during application.
3.2 Emulsifier slurry, adhesive, coating glue, film, amino silicone oil, these products are widely used in printing and dyeing factories, but the emulsification system of slurry, adhesive, coating glue and other products generally uses OP -10, K12, O series or TX-30, 40 are added as compound emulsifiers. OP-10 is often used as emulsifier in film. Amino silicone oil often uses TX series as emulsifier. For example, emulsion polymerized printing adhesive: 38.8% acrylic monomer; OP-100.8-1%; K120.4-0.5%; add O0.8-1%; appropriate amount of ammonium persulfate; add water to 100% . After the adhesive is dried and fixed on the fabric, OP-10 will also stain the fabric.
3.3 Detergents, detergents, and soaping agents are chemical additives that are used in large amounts in printing and dyeing factories. However, the amount of APEO contained in these additives is quite large. For example, for soaping agents, the general additive factory formula is compounded with dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid, 6501, and TX-10, and the pH is adjusted to 7-8.
3.4 Dispersant The leveling agent used in dyeing is sometimes also equipped with APEO, such as OP-9, 10, etc. to improve the dispersion of the additives.
4. Countermeasures
4.1 Replacement of APEO Use fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether or branched fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether to replace APEO. For example, the brand name is AEO series (C12-C16 fatty alcohol polyester)vinyl ether), Pingpingjia 0 (C18 fatty alcohol polyoxyethylene ether) or XL-50 (isomeric C10 alcohol polyoxyethylene ether, T07 (isomeric C13 alcohol polyoxyethylene ether), etc., these products also have permeability , emulsifying and solubilizing properties. If the scouring agent and penetrating agent need to improve alkali resistance, they can be mixed with additives such as AES (lauryl polyoxyethylene ether sulfate) and SAS (sodium secondary alkyl sulfonate). , AOS (α-olefin sulfonate), alkyl polyglycoside (APG) and other surfactants with high alkali resistance. These surfactants have good biodegradability and do not contain carcinogenic aromatic amines or heavy metal ions. It will not cause harm to human health. By using the surfactants mentioned above and making reasonable selections, it is possible to synthesize penetrants, scouring agents, emulsifiers, detergents, soaping agents, and leveling agents that meet various requirements. .
4.2 Strengthen cooperation In recent years, Europe’s ecological requirements for textiles have increased year by year, so we must pay attention to Europe’s relevant ecological textile regulations and technical standards information, and formulate corresponding countermeasures to further develop the European market. In response to APEO’s limited requirements on textiles, the printing, dyeing and auxiliary industries should adopt close and sincere cooperation.
※ Printing and dyeing manufacturers must choose environmentally friendly additives purposefully, and the additives from pre-treatment to post-finishing must be strictly controlled. Strengthen testing work and sign a commitment letter with auxiliary manufacturers to ensure the safe use of APEO-free ecological textile chemicals.
※ The environmental management of ecological textiles and printing and dyeing enterprises requires close cooperation with auxiliary factories. Auxiliary manufacturers know whether their products contain banned chemicals, and only they know the possible components in their products. It is also easier to detect products from auxiliary manufacturers than on fabrics. Detecting extremely small amounts on fabrics often requires high precision and relatively small amounts of chemicals. Expensive instruments and equipment; while detection in additives is often simpler and easier. The development, production and sales of additives must be done with integrity.
※ Today, as humans are paying more and more attention to the environment and their awareness of environmental protection is increasing, it is even more important to develop ecological and environmentally friendly additives to reduce the impact on the environment.
There is indeed an increase in costs from the research, application and manufacturing of APEO-free textile chemicals
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