ComparetheBiodegradabilityof

CleaningAgents
By:GracePuspita
ResearchQuestion
Totestthebiodegradabilityofvariouscleaningagents,suchasbodywash,dishsoap,
laundrydetergentandshampoo,inordertoevaluatetheeffectontheenvironment.
Introduction
Soaps have been one of the human needs nowadays. Everybody use soap
duringhisorherdaytodaybasis.Thequantityofcleaningagentsusedandflowed
outthedrainisunimaginable.With7billionpeopletakingabathmostlytwiceaday
and wash their hair, washing their clothes and dishes daily, it is certain that the
amountofsoap(pollution)releasedintotheenvironmentisprettymuchmorethanthe
abilityoftheenvironmenttodecomposethem.
Throughthisexperiment,Iwouldliketocomparedifferenteffectsofvarious
cleaning agents to the environment by comparing their biodegradability and the
densityofsoapchemicalsleftout.Ihopethroughthisexperiment,peoplewilltry
theirbesttoreducetheiruseofcleaningagentsanduseitasefficientaspossible.
Materials
2differentbrandsofbodywash
2differentbrandsofshampoo
2differentbrandsofdishsoap
2differentbrandsofdetergents
Gardensoil(notaffectedwith
fertlisers)
Tapwater
35cardboards

PlasticBag(min.size:medium)
Glue(UHU)
Tape(scotchtapeorducktape)
Scissors
Ruler
8watercontainer(i.e.bowls
largersurfaceisrecommended)
pHmeasuringtool

Procedure
1. TestthepHlevelofeachcleaningagent,andrecordthem.
2. Sticktheplasticbagontothecardboardwiththesizeofminimum35cmx25
cm.Thewholesurfaceshouldbegluedthatnoairwillbetrapped.
3. Makeacubewithoutthetopandasidenexttothetop(only4surfaces)outof
cardboardthathadbeencoveredwithplastic,withthelengthof10cm.The
netofthecubeshouldbeinaTshapeconsistingof3squaresinalineand1
squarenexttothemiddlesquare.Makesurethecubeiswellgluedthatwater
cannotgooutfromthecornersofthecube.
4. Makeatotalof8cubeswiththeexactsamesizeasdescribedabove.
5. Weigh8500gdriedsoils.
Todrythesoil:Scatterthesoilontopofaflatsurfaceanddryitunder
thesunforabout4to5hourstomakesurethattherewasntanywater
left.
6. Put500gofdriedsoilsintoeachofthe8cubes.
7. Putpressureonthesoil;makeitasdenseaspossible.
8. Mixeachofthecleaningagentswithwater,5mlto100ml.Andstirthoroughly
untilthewaterisperfectlymixedwiththecleaningagent.
9. Put8cubesfilledwithdensedriedgardensoil,intoaslantedsurfaceof5o.
10. Putwatercontainerofanykind,withtheminimumvolumeof200ml,under
eachofthecube.Putitinaplacesothatthewaterthatcomesoutfromthe
cubewillbecollected.
11. Poureachmixture,onesolutioneachcube,atthesameendgently.Makesure
tolabeleachcubewiththenameofthesolutionpoured.
12. Letthewatersipthroughthesoilfor1week,makesurethatthecubesarenot
putoutsidewherethereisadirectsunlight.
13. Afterithasbeensetfor1week.Theliquidineachwatercontainerwillbe
tested.EachliquidwillbetestedforpHlevel.
14. Compareandanalysetheresult.

Discussion

Fromtheexperiment,itwillshowhowthebiodegradabilityofeach
cleaningagentsthereforecomparingtheeffectsontheenvironment.

References(notyetintheMLAformat)
http://www.paksc.org/pk/scienceexperiments/ecologyexperiments/397science
fairprojectideasinecology
http://prezi.com/fkm2euoubr92/negative-effects-of-soap-on-theenvironment/
http://www.greengood.com/terms_to_know/biodegradable_definit
ions.htm
http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-biodegradable-soap.htm
http://occleanacan.com/biodegradable-does-not-meanenvironmentally-friendly/