1. Going Green as You Clean: Are “Green” Detergents Less Toxic Than Conventional Detergents?
Kathryn Stavish
Grade 9

2. Problem
Are “green” detergents safer for the environment than conventional detergents?

3. Research
“Green”- Non-toxic, biodegradable, no petroleum based ingredients, optical brighteners, dyes or fragrances.
“Environmentally Friendly”- ambiguous term that does not have a set of guidelines
Why choose “green?”
Many conventional detergents have chemicals that are unhealthy for humans
Carcinogens
Triazoles
Chemical relative of hydroxybenzotriazole (abbreviated HOBt)
In most potent form, a class1.3C explosive

4. More Research When it goes down the drain, it goes into the water
“Water” meaning...
Rivers, lakes, oceans - places people swim and animals live
Precipitation
Drinking water
Humans and animals

5. Hypothesis
If “green” detergent is used, then more worms will survive. This would indicate that “green” products are safer for the environment.

6. Materials 84 Styrofoam cups, able to hold approximately 350 mL
Green Way Liquid Dish Detergent (“green”)
Meyer’s Liquid Dish Detergent (“green”)
Dawn Dishwashing Liquid (conventional)
Palmolive Dishwashing Liquid (conventional)
Plastic container (clean and reuse for each detergent)
1 bag of potting soil
Aluminum foil
Graduated cylinder
Meal worms (2 per cup; 56 per trial--for 2 trials 112 worms)
Scale (metric)

7. Procedure A dilution series of each detergent was created
0%, 3%, 6%, 12.5%, 25%, 50%, 100%
100 grams of soil were measured into labeled cups, 1 for each dilution (7 for each detergent)
5 mL of each dilution of each detergent were measured into each cup of soil
2 mealworms in each cup
After 5 days passed, contents of each cup poured out and worms dead/alive counted
Data collected
Repeated in a second trial (two trials total)

8. Variables Independent variable=3%, 6%, 12.5%, 25%, 50%, 100% dilutions
Dependent variable=Number of worms dead/alive for each trial
Control=0% dilution of each series (pure water)
Constants=Amount of time for each trial, room temperature, ratio of solution to soil

9. Data

10. Conclusion
If “green” detergent is used, then more worms will survive. This would indicate that “green” products are safer for the environment.
Hypothesis supported
In the two “green” brands of detergent, more worms survived; in the conventional brands, fewer worms survived.
Further research conducted could include:
Test effectiveness in washing dishes as well
Test on other green cleaning products besides detergent
Improvements to be made include:
More trials
More brands of detergent/varying types of worms

11. Thanks
Whyte, PhD, David B. "Going Green as You Clean: Are 'Green' Detergents Less Toxic Than Conventional Detergents?" Science Buddies. Science Buddies, 18 Nov Web. 27 Sept < science-fair- projects/project_ideas/EnvSci_p053.shtmlfave=no&isb=cmlkOjExNTA 0MDk1LHNpZDowLHA6MixpYTpFbnZTY2k&from=TS W>.
Navarro, Mireya. "Cleaner for the Environment, Not for the Dishes." The New York Times. The New York Times, 18 Sept Web. 29 Sept  < ml?_r=1>.
Barton, Charles. "Potentially Carcinogenic Dishwashing Detergent Leaching Directly Into the Water Supply." The Nuclear Green Revolution. Nuclear Green, 6 Apr Web. 29 Sept < dishwashing.html>.
Adams, Mike. "Highly toxic chemicals are found in laundry detergents, dryer sheets, deoderants, perfumes, soaps and other household products." Natural News. Natural News Network, 17 May Web. 24 Sept <