On Thursday the 23^rd of March, we went on the trip to Manro, a surfactants factory, in Stalybridge.

We were split into two groups, our group being the first to have an hour long lecture on the working of the company-the production of anionic surfactants and the environmental implications.

We learned that sulphur was reacted with oxygen from the air to make sulphur dioxide, an acidic gas. A catalyst and more oxygen were then added to the sulphur dioxide to produce sulphur trioxide. This is made in dry conditions otherwise the sulphur trioxide would react with the water to make sulphuric acid. The hydrogen is not wanted in this reaction so it is then attached to hydrocarbon chains (consisting of 9-16 carbons) which then go into detergents, such as shampoos, shower gel etc.

Then, groups 1 and 2 switched and we went on a tour of a lab and part of the site. The outside bit was freezing, we were shown the reactant vessels and told their part in the production of the surfactants. The lab part was warmer and we were shown how the instruments worked such as the gas chromatography things.

And then it was homeward bound after raiding their food supplies.