TITLE:
Comparative Evaluation of Some Physicochemical Properties on Selected Commercially Available Soaps on the Zambian Market
AUTHORS:
Christopher Mwanza, Kadango Zombe
KEYWORDS:
Soap, Total Fat Matter, Total Alkali Content, Moisture Content, pH, Free Caustic Alkali
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.7 No.3,
March
24,
2020
ABSTRACT: The Zambian market has witnessed an impressive upsurge in the production and consumption of a variety of soaps in recent years. However, there is scant, if any, knowledge of the quality and safety of these soaps. In this undertaking, the quality of some selected soaps was evaluated. The soap samples were randomly obtained from various supermarkets. The qualities of soaps were assessed based on the following physicochemical parameters: free caustic alkali (FCA), moisture content (MC), total fatty matter (TFM), pH and total alkali content (TAC). Upon analysis, a variation in these physicochemical properties was observed. Percent MC ranged between 6.70% ± 0.06% and 18.13% ± 0.13%. Solo and Yebo recorded the highest MC. The pH values ranged from 10.70 ± 0.02 to 12.23% ± 0.01%. Yet again, Yebo had the highest pH followed by Solo and then Romeo. The TAC was between 2.00% ± 0.06% to 2.40% ± 0.01% and FCA values were from 0.00 to 0.021% ± 0.00%. Romeo had the highest TAC value (2.40% ± 0.01%) followed by Dettol (2.31% ± 0.05%). Only Solo and Yebo showed some traces of FCA. On the other hand, TFM values ranged from 51.60% ± 0.60% to 78.15% ± 1.66%. Romeo recorded the highest TFM value (78.15% ± 1.66%) and Yebo recorded the lowest (51.60% ± 0.60%). On average, most soaps analysed herein were of fairly acceptable quality and are fit for use.