Action of Sodium Hypochlorite on Carboxymethyl Cellulose

Oxidation of water-soluble carboxymethylcellulose with sodium hypochlorite has been studied under a variety of con ditions. Increasing the hypochlorite concentration and/or the reaction temperature increases the rate of oxidation. The latter is very slow in an alkaline medium, it is slow in an acid medium, and is very rapid in a neutral medium. The presence of magnesium chloride in the medium seems to increase oxidation only in the later stages of the reaction. The influence of DP and DS of the carboxymethylcellulose on the rate of oxidation was also investigated.