Tripolyphosphate

Anticorrosive pigment.

Causes severe irritation and burns. May Be harmful if swallowed. Avoid breathing vapor or dust. Use with adequate ventilation. Avoid contact with eyes, skin, and clothes. Wash thoroughly after handling. Keep container closed.

Sodium tripolyphosphate, (na5p3o10), has been used widely as a constituent of laundry detergents, acting as a water softener in hard water regions and improving detergent performance. In recent years, concern has grown that this results in substantial amounts of phosphates entering the sewage system and thence to watercourses, resulting in eutrophication.