CHAPTER   ONE
1.0                                 INTRODUCTION
The analysis of soaps has become necessary by the desire to rationalize test procedures and thereby adequately provide, for the requirement contained in soap to make it work effectively.
Soaps are the sodium or potassium salt of long chain, fatty acids and are produced by saponification of fats and oils with alkalis e.g. potassium hydroxide.
Lux soap, which is used for bathing and laundry, for it to be satisfactory for consumpti0on, shall be free from objectionable odour both as received and in water solution; it should not contain/have any active chlorine or oxygen.  It should not have any active that shall not contain any visible foreign matter posses good.  Lathering and cleansing properties and should have no injurious effect on the skin.  Also it should contain low water content, no impurities, and very small excess alkali.
It is made by the action of a hot caustic solution on tallow or fatty oils, with the simultaneous formation of glycerol, which at one time, was wasted or left in the soap, as it is still certain, glycerol is a valuable by product.  The reaction is as follows:
          3NaOH  +  (C17 H35 COO)3  C3H5                3 C17 H35 COONa +
Caustic       Triglyceride                                  sodium stearate
Alkali                                                                             (soap)
C3H5(oH)3
Glycerol
Soap can also be made by the action of caustic soda or fatty acid without producing glycerol.  The reaction is as follows:
          NaOH + (C17H35 COO)3C3H5            3C17H35COONa + H2O
Caustic
Soda           Stearic acid  Soap       Water
The NAFDAC STANDARD FOR QUALITY SOAP IS – 02 – 1526.