| Optical Brighteners: Also known as optical agents, | | | | fabrics coat the surface of fabrics with |
| optical brighteners are the dyes that possess the | | | | fluorescent particles that act like mirrors and |
| attribute of absorbing the violet and ultraviolet | | | | reflect visible light. Many are made from benzene, |
| region of the electromagnetic spectrum, which | | | | a highly toxic compound and carcinogen that |
| results in the prominent re-emission of light in the | | | | endanger wildlife and the environment and can |
| blue region. This dye is not suitable to be used in | | | | cause allergic reactions when it comes into |
| water (like in aquarium, etc.), due to its toxic | | | | contact with the skin. Optical Brighteners, also |
| nature. Optical brighteners, the detergents that | | | | known as Fluorescent Brighteners, are widely |
| promise to make the laundry "whiter than white" | | | | used in textiles, laundry detergents, and other |
| usually contain optical brighteners, acting as | | | | products which value clean bright appearance. |
| phosphors that convert some ultraviolet radiation | | | | Optical brightening agent can be used as |
| to blue light and optically offset the yellowing of | | | | brightener for detergent, cotton, silk, linen, paper, |
| the material. Chemicals that brighten or whiten | | | | polyamide fiber and wool. |