Sodium Carbonate (Na₂CO₃), commonly known as Soda Ash, is a white solid chemical compound produced in two main forms: light and dense (heavy). This alkaline substance is highly soluble in water, forming a strongly basic solution. It is primarily manufactured through the Solvay process from sodium chloride and limestone, or extracted from natural deposits such as trona.
Sodium carbonate plays a vital role in numerous industries: in glass manufacturing to lower the melting temperature of silica, in detergent production as an alkalizing agent, in the pulp and paper industry, in alumina refining, and even in the food industry as an acidity regulator.
From a safety perspective, sodium carbonate is relatively non-toxic, but prolonged skin contact or inhalation of its dust may cause mild irritation. It must be stored in a dry environment, away from moisture, due to its hygroscopic nature.
Given its central role in many industrial cycles, sodium carbonate is considered a strategic base material and is one of the most widely traded chemicals worldwide.
Anionic Surfactants are a class of surface-active agents characterised by a negative charge on the hydrophilic (water-loving) part of the molecule. This negative charge typically originates from sulfate, sulfonate, or carboxylate groups. Their defining features include high foaming ability, strong detergency, and excellent capacity to remove oils and organic soils from surfaces.
Common examples include Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), Alpha Olefin Sulfonate (AOS), and Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate (SLES). These compounds are widely used in the manufacture of household and industrial detergents, as well as personal care products such as shampoos and liquid soaps, and in industrial cleaning formulations.
Despite their high effectiveness, excessive use of anionic surfactants may lead to skin irritation or dryness. For this reason, they are often blended with nonionic or amphoteric surfactants to produce milder formulations.
Thanks to their efficiency, low cost, and ease of production, anionic surfactants account for the largest share of the global surfactant market.
Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) is a clear, colourless liquid with a characteristic odour, produced by combining a linear alkyl chain (typically derived from normal paraffins C₁₀–C₁₄) with a benzene ring. The most common production method is the alkylation of benzene with linear olefins (such as 1-decene) in the presence of an acid catalyst.
LAB is the primary feedstock for producing anionic surfactants, particularly Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate (LAS), which accounts for over 80% of the world’s powder and liquid detergents. Owing to its linear structure, LAB is highly biodegradable and is considered a safer, more environmentally friendly alternative to earlier branched alkyl benzenes, which showed poor degradation in the environment.
Key properties of LAB include chemical stability, resistance across a wide pH range, good foaming capacity, and compatibility with other surfactants.
While its main application is in household and industrial detergents, LAB is also used in the production of textile softeners, emulsifiers, and certain agricultural formulations.
Caustic Soda (Sodium Hydroxide – NaOH) is a strong solid alkali with the chemical formula NaOH, produced as white, odourless flakes. It is manufactured through the chlor-alkali process, involving the electrolysis of sodium chloride solution. Caustic soda dissolves rapidly in water, generating a highly alkaline solution with a strongly exothermic reaction, which is why its storage and handling require resistant equipment and strict safety precautions.
Its applications are highly diverse: in the pulp and paper industry for lignin removal, in textiles for fabric mercerisation and scouring, in the food industry for fruit peeling, olive processing, and pretzel production, in water treatment for pH adjustment and precipitation of heavy metals, and in soap and detergent manufacturing as a key agent for saponifying oils.
Caustic soda is also extensively used in the chemical, oil and gas, pharmaceutical, and metal processing industries.
Urea (Carbamide – CO(NH₂)₂) is a small, crystalline organic compound that appears as a white, odourless solid, readily soluble in water. It was the first organic compound to be synthesised artificially in 1828 by Friedrich Wöhler from ammonium cyanate, marking a historic turning point in organic chemistry. Today, urea is primarily produced from ammonia and carbon dioxide under high pressure and temperature via the Bosch–Meiser process.
Its most important application lies in agriculture, where it is the world’s most widely used nitrogen fertiliser, containing over 46% nitrogen by weight, which significantly enhances plant growth and crop yields. Beyond agriculture, urea serves as a raw material in the chemical industry for the production of urea-formaldehyde resins, engineering plastics, adhesives, gums, and explosives. It is also employed in the pharmaceutical sector as a keratolytic agent, and in animal feed and aquaculture as a source of non-protein nitrogen.
Key properties of urea include chemical stability under normal conditions, high solubility in water, and ease of storage and transport. However, precautions must be taken to prevent moisture absorption due to its hygroscopic nature.
Industrial Salt (NaCl) is the unrefined or semi-refined form of sodium chloride, produced with a lower purity level compared to edible salt. It can be supplied in various grain sizes—powdered, fine, crystalline, or granular—and may undergo washing or partial purification, depending on the application's needs.
The main sources of industrial salt include seawater evaporation, rock salt mining, and evaporation of underground brines. Its applications extend far beyond food use:
In water treatment plants, as a regenerating agent for resins in water softeners.
In the chemical industry, chlorine, caustic soda, hydrochloric acid, and sodium carbonate.
In food-related industries (non-direct consumption), such as fish processing and dairy production.
For de-icing and snow melting on roads.
In the leather tanning and textile industries, for stabilising dyeing processes.
Key properties of industrial salt include its cubic crystalline structure, high chemical stability, excellent solubility, and low production cost.
Table Salt (NaCl) is the refined form of sodium chloride, produced with high purity levels (typically above 99%) for human consumption. It is obtained through seawater evaporation, purification of rock salt, or evaporation of underground brines, and may undergo mechanical, chemical, or combined refining processes.
To prevent goiter, table salt is commonly iodized by adding potassium iodate or iodide. Beyond its primary use in cooking and food processing, table salt plays important roles in stabilising food texture and colour, supporting bread fermentation, and preservation methods such as pickling and curing.
Table salt may be supplied in fine, coarse, or extra-fine ground forms, and its packaging must be in moisture-resistant containers, since sodium chloride is hygroscopic and readily absorbs moisture.
Key properties include its distinct salty taste, high solubility in water, chemical stability, and food safety compliance with national and international standards.
