Question

Why should we use detergent with minimum brancghing of hyrocarbon chain?

Answer 1

Here is your answer:

1. Because it can cause burns in our hands while washing.
2. It creates water pollution by forming large amount of scum.
3. It is harmful for aquatic life when it's dissolved in water.
4. Manufacturing of detergents also creates a lot of pollution( 6% of total pollution )

Conclusion: Short chain Carbon detergents don't give such consequences.

Thus we should prefer them.

Answer 2

Detergents are sodium salts of long chain alkyl sulphates or a long chain of alkyl benzene sulphonate.

Thay can be used in hard water and acidic medium. But they are not biodegradable. Hence they cause water pollution.

The main problem that appears in the use of detergents is that if their hydrocarbon chain is highly  branched, then bacteria cannot degrade them easily.  Their slow degradation leads to their accumulation.

Branching of the hydrocarbon chain is controlled and kept to the minimum. Unbranched  chains can be biodegraded more easily and hence pollution is prevented.