Detergents

Detergents are chemical substances that, at determinate concentrations, remove dirt (undesired extraneous material) from surfaces.
In the hospital environment detergents are employed for personal hygiene, ward cleaning, laundry; they are often mixed with disinfectants so that their effects, in the end, mingle.
Inorganic alkaline detergents (soda and caustic potash) and surface-active organic detergents can be identified. The latter are further divided into:
- non ionic (polyglycolic esters, polyglycolic ethers, polyglycolic ammines and ammides);
- anionic (sulphonic esters, alchilsulphonic derivatives, etc.);
- cationic, with strong disinfectant action (ammines and ammides, ammonium salts, heterocyclic nitrogenous bases salts, non nitrogenous bases salts, etc.);
- amphoteric.
Organic surface-active agents lower the surface tension of liquids allowing a strong wetting and penetrating effect in the substrate to be washed and allowing fats to emulsify with water, therefore allowing cleansing. They are mingled with many other substances (such as solvents, silicates, phosphates, metasilicates, enzymes, sulphonates, etc.) that grant them peculiar characteristics, especially to aid the detachment and emulsion of fat and proteinic dirt.
Although, in general, the employment of such substances represents a risk for all health workers, auxiliary workers and operating theatre personnel are at greater risk.
Skin is especially involved in detergent pathology with irritating and allergic dermatitis, predominantly located on the hands, the wrists and the forearms; in fact, many detergents contain chrome and/or nickel salts originated from the production cycle.

Mortuary and autopsy rooms

Mortuary and autopsy rooms

Detergents