Chemicals are widely used in industry. Their diverse list of organic chemicals and inorganic ones help to enhance the product or to produce certain reactions. They incorporate the chemicals in their products with certain circumstances and functions. One of the millennium inventions that utilizes chemical is chemical toilet. Chemical toilet is usually used as portable toilet in moving vehicle, particularly caravan.
Chemical toilet does not send excretes to a pipe; instead there is chemical to degrade them. Owner can dispose them in disposal point at a time. Different from other conventional toilet, chemical toilet in caravan needs more maintenance as odour should not seep in to other room in caravan or help it not splashed up. Here are chemicals in chemical toilets.
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Formaldehyde
Properties
Formaldehyde is a chemical often used as preservative and cleaner. It belongs to organic compound with formula CH2O. Other name for it is formalin in which it is a combination of formaldehyde and water solution. Although non-biodegradable, formaldehyde does not accumulate in the environment, making it a widely used chemical, including in chemical toilet.
Uses
This chemical is a colorless gas that acts as cleaning agent as well as deodorant in chemical toilet. Since excretes are not disposed right away, the toilet may stink an unfavorable smell. This is when formaldehyde acts to neutralize the unwelcome odor away. It also acts as bacteria cleaner from the toilet surface. However, formaldehyde is an irritant and toxic. Its use is no longer allowed in chemical toilet as it is among harmful cleaning chemical.
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Sodium Percarbonate (SPC)
Properties
Sodium percarbonate or SPC is adduct of sodium carbonate. It has chemical formula of Na2CO3.1.5H2O2. It comes in white solid form and in liquid form, it tends to be colorless. This chemical is a reaction of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide. The result of reaction produces sodium percarbonate that is water soluble and eco-friendly.
Uses
SPC commonly used in non-chlorine cleaning agents such as laundry bleach, detergent, and chemical toilet. It is known for its impressive cleaning result as well as dispersing the stinky odors away from the toilet. Decomposed easily, it only needs water to break down the chemical, making it an eco-friendly and definitely is a more preferable chemical for chemical or portable toilet.
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Glutaraldehyde
Properties
Glutardehyde is a family of formaldehyde. It is a clear liquid with chemical formula C5H8O2. The oxidation of cyclopemtene with reaction of Diels-Alder to acrolein and methyl vinyl ether resulted in the production glutaraldehyde. Glutaraldehyde is an expensive version of formaldehyde with stronger effects in its use.
Uses
Under commercialized name Glutaral, glutaraldehyde is an effective disinfectant and sterilent in chemical toilet. It is effective to kill the bacteria in toilet facet as well as reducing the stink odor. Often has strong odor itself, the toilet will have the chemical’s smell instead. Highly irritant, the use of it should be in careful way.
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Sodium Hydroxide (Lye)
Properties
Another chemical often used in chemical toilet is sodium hydroxide. Sodium hydroxide or Lye is an inorganic compound with formula NaOH. It usually comes in colorless, almost white crystalline solid. Several hydrates reaction can result in sodium hydroxide. Moreover, it is usually also odorless and highly soluble in water except in non polar solvent and ether.
Uses
Sodium hydroxide is an effective cleaning agent from food, laundry, hair, and toilet. The chemical can help to release clogged toilet and decompose excretes. Furthermore, it is also useful to strip off planks and dirt in the toilet. Lye can be an irritant, especially when it comes to direct contact to skin and eyes. Thus, when using this chemical in chemical toilet, proper care is needed.
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Hypochlorite
Properties
Hypochlorite is another chemical that is utilized as sterilient and biocide. Ion composed with oxygen and chlorine produces hypochlorite. A reaction of chlorine with metal hydroxides can also form hypochlorite. The chemical in its pure form is very unstable. Thus, other chemicals are needed to stabilize it. It is water soluble and non-toxic but can be irritant if one gets exposed to it too much. To know more about hypochlorite, read Sodium Hypochlorite Uses in Everyday Life.
Uses
This chemical is commonly used as cleaning agent and water treatment. In chemical toilet, it helps to sterilize the toilet and kill the bacteria that causes stinky odor. Aside from that, it is also used along with other biocide to degrade excretes in the toilet. Also used in water pool treatment, hypochlorite is generally safe and is not as irritant as formaldehyde. Therefore, this is one of the more preferable chemical in chemical toilet.
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Calcium Oxide (Lime)
What’s next chemicals in chemical toilets?
Properties
Similar to sodium percarbonate is calcium oxide. The common name for this chemical is lime. A decomposition of materials such as seashells and limestone produces calcium oxide. The chemical formula of calcium oxide is CaO. In addition, it is usually odorless and comes in white to pale yellow color.
Uses
Calcium oxide in chemical toilet or portable toilet is not used as the main ingredients. It is usually mixed with ammonia to create alkaline hydrolysis reaction that has strong cleaning function. Moreover, it is also a strong bacteria killer that can remove ones that produce stinky smell and clogging in the toilet. (Related to Calcium Properties and Uses).
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Enzyme-Based Chemical
Properties
Most former chemicals in chemical toilet are irritants in which exposure to it can cause irritation. This has been a problem before experts finally replace the chemical with enzyme-based instead. The enzyme comes in blue color with friendly odor unlike the other that have strong chemical odor. The blue enzyme is also bio-degradable and eco-friendly.
Uses
Enzyme-based chemical is used both for cleaning agent and biocide. It will help to get rid of bacteria that causes smelly odor as well as help to degrade excretes in the toilet. With the use of this enzyme, the chemical toilet will be clean and sterile. Moreover, this enzyme is less irritant and has clean and fresh smell. Currently this chemical is the most common ingredient in chemical toilet liquid.
Different from household toilet, chemical toilet cannot drop excretes at any time and can only do so in dump station. That is why it needs certain chemicals to help it stay as proper and practical toilet. Indeed, there are 7chemicals in chemical toilets.
Also read: Cleaning Chemicals To Avoid During Pregnancy