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Optical Brighteners: What Are They? These fluorescent whitening agents (FWA's) are additives found in some detergents in amounts up to 0.2%. These compounds convert ultraviolet light into visible light. The overall effect is one of enhanced whiteness. This counters the natural yellowing of cotton, for example. FWA's do not clean your clothes, they just make them look cleaner. Safety tests indicate that they are safe for people at typically used concentrations, although some FWA's can produce severe eye irritation. However, FWA's do not degrade in the environment, and many are toxic to fish. Therefore, FWA's are not acceptable in environmental products. Source: GreenMarketPlace.com |