Fluorescent Whitening Agents a.k.a. Optical Brighteners
Fluorescent Whitening Agents (FWAs) or Optical Brighteners (OB) have been used by the textile industry for quite some time. They are also included in many laundry detergents – just to name a few brands, all versions of Tide including “Clear and Free”, Surf, Arm & Hammer, and to our widely used baby detergent Dreft. These chemicals are probably new to most people but I am sure that you have heard of the catch phrases whiter whites and brighter colors. FWAs or OBs work by absorbing invisible ultraviolet light and re-emitting the blue region of visible light. Evidence of FWAs can be seen by using black (UV) light against the detergent in question. Further discussions on detergents can be read at Not all detergents are created equal!
Flourescent Whiteners (Optical Brighteners) in Detergents
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