Any chemistry types here

[pipsqueak]

I'm trying to figure out if Hexahydro-1,3,5-tris(2-hydroxyethyl)-S-triazine is related to methylisothiazolinone, methylchlorisothiazolinone, or any other isothiazolinones.

[Stringy]

Ha.

[Crisco Salad]

[pipsqueak]

I suspect the isothiazolinone family is what causes Pip to develop a rash from most detergents, yet there's one detergent he reacted to that claims to be isothiazolinone free that uses the other chemical so either they are related, there's hidden isothiazolinones in the detergent fragrance, or Pip reacts to a chemical I haven't identified yet.

[ourcrazynavylife]

My college roommate was a chemistry major. I asked her.

[ourcrazynavylife]

So she said
"It's not the same family as the isothiazolinones, but it is also a biocide. That may be the issue...It's also an irritant...It is possible that it can degrade in part into formaldehyde. I don't think the laundry detergent solution would be acidic enough to promote that though."

[freezorburn]

My chemistry knowledge is limited to what I learned in HS, but -- what role do these chemicals play in the detergent? And if you are rinsing adequately, why is there enough residue to cause irritation?

[pipsqueak]

freezorburn, the role they play in detergent is to keep nasty stuff from growing in the detergent, though sometimes they're components of the fragrance or used in manufacturing of other ingredients. Methylisothiazolinone (MI), methylchlorisothiazolinone (MCI), plus cousins BIT and OIT (don't ask me to spell out the last two) are in a ton of stuff, not just laundry detergent - disposable baby wipes,shampoo, conditioners, body wash, lotions, cosmetics, dish soap, dishwasher detergent, liquid Calgon water softener, white school glue, paint, and much more.

For most people this isn't a problem, but for those who are sensitive/allergic to it even the small traces are enough to cause a reaction. I tried washing laundry (regular clothes) in a fraction of the dose of Persil sensitive with a full wash no detergent after and Pip still developed contact dermatitis from his clothes. This is one reason why the "detergent build-up is a myth" annoys me so much. I have some pockets I bought used in November that were previously washed in Tide, did an extra thorough stripping on, used heavily (washed 2-3 times per week) for 2 months in a fragrance free detergent, boxed in a cardboard box for a month, and when the box was opened the first thing I noticed was the scent. Some who are sensitive react only to physically washing dishes with a MI containing detergent while some react to the residues on the dishes, even with thorough rinsing. The only thing that is a myth, IMO, is that every component of detergent rinses away.

ourcrazynavylife, thank you (and your friend). I suppose I won't really know if Pip is reacting to both biocides or what until he is patch tested. In the meantime, I'll just do my best to keep him iso-free and watch for additional reactions.

[freezorburn]

Wow that is fascinating. I hope you get the answers you need ... I know this has been an ongoing struggle.