article_snippet.sent: But now his team have shown that tampons can glow in ultra-violet (UV) light, because tampons absorb chemicals found in products containing ‘optical brighteners’ which are used to whiten and brighten colours.
article_snippet.sent: Tampons absorb chemicals commonly used on toilet paper, laundry detergents (pictured with a stock image) and shampoos, which glow under UV light, meaning that Tampons could shed light on previously undetectable mis-plumbed pathways .
article_snippet.sent: Engineers have shown that tampons can glow in ultra-violet (UV) light, because Engineers absorb chemicals found in products containing ‘optical brighteners’ which are used to whiten and brighten colours.
article_snippet.sent: Lab trials determined that just five seconds exposure in a solution containing 0.01ml of detergent per litre of water - over 300 times more dilute than would be expected in a surface water pipe – enabled a tampon to glow for 30 days.
article_snippet.sent: Therefore, if a tampon is dunked in a river and glows under UV afterwards, experts can be sure there are pollutants in a tampon.
article_snippet.sent: When tampons are suspended in water contaminated by even very small amounts of detergents or sewage, tampons will pick up these ‘optical brighteners’ and glow.
article_snippet.sent: Lab trials determined that just five seconds exposure in a solution containing 0.01ml of detergent per litre of water - over 300 times more dilute than would be expected in a surface water pipe – enabled a tampon to glow for 30 days.
article_snippet.sent: The scientists found that nine of the tampons under UV light glowed, confirming the presence of optical brighteners - and therefore sewage pollution.
article_snippet.sent: When tampons are suspended in water contaminated by even very small amounts of detergents or sewage, tampons will pick up ‘optical brighteners’ and glow under UV light.
highlights_snippet.sent: Tampons glow under UV light when Tampons have absorbed detergent .
  