Optical Brighteners (OBAs) are primarily added to laundry soaps, detergents, and cleaning agents for the purpose of brightening fabrics and/or surfaces. Laundry wastewater is the largest contributor of OBAs to wastewater systems because it retains a large portion of dissolved OBAs. Water municipalities and researchers are evaluating OBA concentrations in lakes, rivers, and coastal ocean to determine the efficiency of wastewater treatment protocols and wastewater systems. When wastewater systems fail, human waste leaks into natural aquatic systems and might cause an increase in fecal coliform bacteria, which may impact ecosystems.

In an effort to determine source contaminations, researchers are correlating fluorescence of OBAs to bacterial levels. These studies may help decrease this type of anthropogenic input. Turner Designs currently manufactures fluorometers that detect OBAs, such as the 10-AU and Aquafluor Handheld fluorometer, which have been used in studies conducted by county health departments and water municipalities. Turner Designs has now developed a submersible in situ fluorometer for detection of OBAs, the UV Cyclops-7 that further facilitates sample analysis.

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