ABSTRACT
Since the publication of the fi rst volume of this Handbook of Detergents in 1999 [1], substantial progress has been made in the development of new raw materials and in the design of detergent formulations. About 10 years ago, the bleach chapters focused mainly on the properties of bleach activators [2] and hypochlorite bleach [3]. Since then, considerable R&D effort has been invested in the development of new systems to satisfy the upcoming ecological challenges of the new millennium. Reactive preformed peracids or bleach catalysts for cold wash formulations are just the fi rst step in providing creative solutions for energy saving and water conservation. The success of new bleach systems is not only based on the properties of the chemicals themselves, but also relies on new delivery forms such as granules with time-controlled release of the active ingredient or new packaging devices such as dual-chamber bottles and multicompartment devices.
