Chemicals are around us and we interact with chemicals in our everyday lives. But when you look at the ingredients list in some of the foods, medicine, and cleaning products you use everyday, most of the time there are weird names like methylisothiazolinone that you have no idea what it means or what it is used for. Some of the chemicals added make sense but others are only used for color or are preservatives.
Every morning people eat breakfast. Pancakes are one of the most common breakfast items in america; and Krusteaz pancake mix is my personal favorite. But in Krusteaz pancake mix there are about 10 products in which, unless you are a chemist, you would probably not know what they are or used for. Niacin, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, monocalcium phosphate and sodium stearoyl lactylate are all products in the Krusteaz pancake mix that have confusing names and, to me, unknown meanings. So why are these products used in pancakes? Niacin is actually an organic compound and is a type of B vitamin. Niacin helps the digestive system and is important for converting food to energy. With a molecular formula of C6H5NO2. (left side) Thiamin mononitrate is also a known vitamin B1 and is added to food as an organic a nutrient supplement. The molecular structure is to the very right side and has the formula of C12H17N5O4S. Riboflavin is important for body growth and red blood cell production. It is an organic compound and has a molecular formula of C17H20N4O6. (second row, right side) Monocalcium phosphate is the organic chemical that makes the pancakes fluffy by acting as a foaming agent. The formula for this organic compound is Ca(H2PO4)2. (second row, left side) Lastly, sodium stearoyl lactylate reduces surface between liquids making it easier for substances such as oil and water to mix. C21H39NaO4 is the formula that causes the structure (pictured below) of this organic compound to have an odd shape.  | 
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I personally take my showers in the morning and always use the same products. Bath and Body cucumber melon body wash is typically a hygiene product I use daily. In this body wash lauramidopropyl betaine, tocopheryl acetate, sodium lauryl sulfate, methylisothiazolinone and lauramide MIPA are some names that for me have no meaning. when researching the products I found out why these products are used and what their structures are. Lauramidopropyl betaine is an organic compound used a skin conditioning and cleansing agent with the formula of C19H38N2O3. (Picture on the top right) Tocopheryl acetate is a form of vitamin E made in labs, is inorganic, and is used as a preservative in products. (Pictured to the right) The chemical formula is C31H52O3. Sodium lauryl sulfate is the actual detergent in many shampoos and body washes. This organic compound has a chemical formula of C12H25SO4Na as seen on the right. Methylisothiazolinone, an inorganic compound with a molecular formula of C4H5NOS, is a widely used preservative in soaps (pictured on the bottom left). Lauramide MIPA is used as a foam booster and an organic compound. The molecular formula for lauramid MIPA is C15H31NO2 pictured below on the right. |    |
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    | The flu is an ever changing virus and when you have it you get three common symptoms, a stuffy nose, cough and a fever or headache. Western Family makes Day Relief Non-drowsy Multi-symptom Cold and Flu medicine to help bring down fevers, subdue coughs and decongest nasal passages. There are three active ingredients, acetaminophen, dextromethorphan HBr and phenylephrine HCL, along with inactive ingredients like butylated hydroxyanisole and propylene glycol. Acetaminophen is the organic compound used to bring down fevers and reduce headaches and has a molecular shape pictured on the left and a molecular formula of C8H9NO2. Dextromethorphan HBr, a organic compound with a molecular structure of C18H25NO•HBr, is used as a cough suppressant and is pictured on the left. Phenylephrine HCL is an organic compound used as a nasal decongestant to make it easier to breath when sick. The molecular formula is C9H13NO2·HCl pictured below on the far left. Preservatives like butylated hydroxyanisole are used to extend shelf life of medicines. In the case of butylated hydroxyanisole, on organic molecule, the molecular formula is C11H16O2 and is showed below in the middle . Propylene glycol, an inorganic molecule, is used to absorb excess water to maintain moisture levels in many products. As pictured on the bottom right propylene glycol has a molecular formula of C3H8O2.
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Reflection:
I learned from this assignment about some of the chemicals that I interact with in my everyday life. I learned that
most of the chemicals that I personally use are organic and I now understand more of the chemical names. I also
realized that some chemicals are used to make a product better but are not really needed, products like lauramide MIPA
is used as a foam booster but has no effect on the quality of the body wash which is used to make yourself clean. For
medicines only some of the products are actively used to get rid of symptoms of certain viruses and other inactive
ingredients are used to maintain shelf life. This assignment has helped me learn more about what i use daily and how
complicated some of the simplest products are. While I was doing this assignment I saw how the molecules around me
affect me and others around me.
Works Cited:
"Niacin: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National
Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2013.
"Niacin - PubChem." Niacin - PubChem. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2013.
"Ingredient Information." In-R-Food. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.
"Thiamine Mononitrate, Chemical Structure, Molecular Formula, Reference Standards."Thiamine
Mononitrate, Chemical Structure, Molecular Formula, Reference Standards. N.p., n.d.
Web. 23 Apr. 2013
"Riboflavin: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S.
National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2013.
"What Is Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate?" LIVESTRONG.COM. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2013.
"COSMETICSINFO.ORG - Your Source for Safety Information about Cosmetics and Personal
Care Products." COSMETICSINFO.ORG - Your Source for Safety Information about
Cosmetics and Personal Care Products. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2013.
"Ingredient Watch List: Tocopheryl Acetate, the Potentially Irritating Form of Vitamin
E."Annmarie Gianni Skin Care Ingredient Watch List Tocopheryl Acetate the Potentially
Irritating Form of Vitamin E Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2013
"BHA And BHT." About.com Chemistry. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2013
"Phenylephrine - Organic Chemicals." Phenylephrine - Organic Chemicals. N.p., n.d. Web. 26
Apr. 2013.
