萤光增白剂(FWAs)或发亮剂是有机化合物通过吸收紫外线而在光谱的短波端射出光。非白色的有机物质通常是由于存在着黄色或棕色杂质把一些射入的光线吸收掉。通过FWAs的作用可使紫外线变为可见光,而以其射出的光代替吸收了的蓝色光,从而达到增白的目的。当前FWAs大量用于肥皂和洗涤剂,使这些产品本身和清洗的纺织品发白。虽然各商品的纯度及其所含的副产物或加入的惰性成分各不相同,过去毒理学上的研究表明这类产品的急性、亚急性和慢性毒 Fluorescent brighteners (FWAs) or brighteners are organic compounds that emit light at the short-wave end of the spectrum by absorbing UV light. Non-white organic matter usually absorbs some of the incoming light due to the presence of yellow or brown impurities. The role of FWAs can make UV light into visible light, and its light emitted instead of absorbed blue light, so as to achieve the purpose of whitening. Currently, FWAs are used in large quantities for soaps and detergents, whitening these products themselves and cleaning textiles. Although the purity of individual products and the by-products they contain or the inert ingredients added vary, past toxicological studies have shown that acute, subacute, and chronic toxicity of such products