DEAS 787:20 20 
ICS:71.100.40  
© EAC 2020                                                                                                                 Second  Edition 2020  
 
 DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  
 
 Industrial detergent powder — Specification   
 
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY  
 DEAS 787:20 20 
ii © EAC  2020 – All rights reserved  
 Copyright notice  
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. DEAS 787:20 20 
© EAC 2020 – All rights reserved  iii 
 Foreword  
Development of the East African Standards has been necessitated by the need for harmonizing requirements 
governing quality of products and services in the East African Community. It is envisaged that through harmonized 
standardization, trade barriers that are encountered whe n goods and services are exchanged within the Community 
will be removed.  
The Community has established an East African Standards Committee (EASC) mandated to develop and issue 
East African Standards (EAS) and other deliverables. The Committee is composed of representatives of the 
National Standards Bodies in Partner States, together with the representatives from the public and private sector 
organizations in the community.  
East African Standards are developed through Technical Committees that are represen tative of key 
stakeholders including government, academia, consumer groups, private sector and other interested parties. 
Draft East African Standards are circulated to stakeholders through the National Standards Bodies in the Partner 
States. The comments r eceived are discussed and incorporated before finalization of standards, in accordance 
with the Principles and procedures for development of East African Standards.  
East African Standards and other deliverables are subject to review, to keep pace with tec hnological advances. 
Users of the East African Standards are therefore expected to ensure that they always have the latest versions 
of the standards they are implementing.  
The committee responsible for this document is Technical Committee EASC/TC 074, Surface active agents  
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be subject of patent rights. 
EAC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
This second  edition cancels and replaces t he first edition (EAS 787:2013), which has been technically revised.  DEAS 787:20 20 
iv © EAC  2020 – All rights reserved  
 Introduction  
Synthetic detergents or Non-Soapy Detergents (NSD), as they are normally termed, are products specially 
formulated to promote the development of detergency . They  comprise es sential components (surface active 
agents), and generally, complementary components like builders.  They are sometimes known as Industrial 
Detergent Powders, (IDP) and are meant for general purpose cleaning in industry . 
IDP are mainly of the alkyl aryl typ e, such as sodium salt of dodecyl benzene sulphonic acid  and thus they are 
different from soaps, the other class of detergents, which are mainly sodium s alts of higher fatty acids.  
This Draft  East African Standard emphasizes on the biodegradability of the  surfactants used to manufacture 
detergent powders . 
 DRAFT  EAST AFRICAN STANDARD  DEAS 787:20 20 
 
© EAC  2020– All rights reserved  1 
  Industrial detergent powder — Specification   
1 Scope  
This Draft  East African  Standard specifi es the requirements , sampling and test methods for industrial detergent 
powders .  
2 Normative references  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undat ed references, the latest edition of the referenced document 
(including any amendments) applies  
ISO 673, Soaps — Determination of content of ethanol insoluble matter  
ISO 862 , Surface active agents — Vocabulary  
ISO 2271 , Surface active agent s — Detergents  — Determination of anionic active matter by manual or 
mechanical direct two-phase titration  proce dure 
3 Terms and definition s 
For the purposes of this Draft East African S tandard , the terms and definitions given  in ISO 862 apply.  
4 Requirements  
4.1 General  requirements  
4.1.1  The active ingredients used may include, besides salt of alkyl aryl sulphonic acid, soap and non -ionics.  
The active ingredient s used shall be biodegradable. The formulation may contain one or more of the builders or 
additives given in A nnex A.   
4.1.2  The product  shall be a free flowing powder, free from visible dirt and impurities. The product  shall not give 
any unpleasant odour and shall have good cleaning and lathering properties.   
4.1.3  The fineness of the product shall be as agreed b etween manufacturers and customer . 
4.2 Specific requirements  
The product  shall comply with the specific quality requirements given in Table 1 when tested in accordance with 
the corresponding test method . 
   DEAS 787 :2020  
2 © EAC  2020 – All rights reserved  
 Table 1 — Specific requirements fo r industrial detergent powders  
Sl No  Characteristic  Requirement  Test method  
i) Active ingredient, %, m/m, min.  10.0 ISO 2271  
ii) Moisture and volatile matter content at 105 °C, 
%, m/m, max.  13.0 Annex B 
iii) Matter insoluble in alcohol, % m/m, max.  90.0  ISO 673  
iv Matter insoluble in water, % by mass, max  5.0 Annex C 
v) pH of 1 % solution (m/v) at 25  °C  2 °C 9 - 11 Annex D 
vi) Non-Detergent Organic Matter (NDOM), %, 
m/m, max.  1.0 Annex E 
NOTE  Due to the fact that detergent powder can absorb or l ose moisture during storage, the analytical 
results should be expressed on dry weight basis.  
 
5 Packaging and  labelling  
5.1 Pack aging 
The product  shall be supplied in suitable well -closed packages  that protects the integrity of the product durin g 
storage and transportation .  
5.2  Labelling  
Each container  shall be legibly and indelibly labelled either in English, Kiswahili or French or combination or any 
other language as agreed between the manufacturer and supplier with the following information :  
a) name of the product  as “industrial detergent powder” ; 
b) manufacturer’s name and physical address;  
NOTE  The name, physical address of the distri butor/supplier and trade mark may be added as required.  
c) batch or code number ; 
d) net content ; 
e) country of origin ; 
f) instructions for use  (which shall be in either English, Kiswahili or French  or in combination as agreed 
between the manufacturer and supplier ”); 
g) date of manufacture and best before date ; and  
h) cautionary statement “ This product is not recommended for laundry purposes.  
6 Sampling  
Sampling shall be done in accordance with Annex F. DEAS 787  
© EAC 2020 – All rights reserved  3 
 Annex A  
(informative)  
 
List of suggested builders and additives  
The foll owing is a list of suggested builders and additives:   
a) sodium carbonate;  
b) sodium sulphate;  
c) sodium carboxymethyl cellulose;  
d) sodium silicate;  
e) optical brighteners;  
f) lather boosters;  
g) hydrotropes;  
h) perfume;  
i) preservatives;  
j) chelating agents (sequestering agents);  
k) colourants;  
l) perborates;  
m) enzymes;  
n) bactericides;  
o) common salt;  
p) magnesium sulphate;  
q) Sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP);  
r) zeolites; and  
s) any other internationally accepted builder cleared by respective partner states bureaux of standards.    DEAS 787 :2020  
4 © EAC  2020 – All rights reserved  
 Annex B  
(normative)  
 
Determin ation of moisture and volatile matter content  
B.1 Principle  
The moisture and volatile matter content are determined by oven method.  
B.2 Apparatus  
B.2.1  Porcelain or silica dish,  6 cm to 8 cm in diameter and 2 cm to 4 cm in depth  
B.2.2  Desiccator,  containi ng an efficient desiccant, such as phosphorus pentoxide  
B.2.3  Air-oven , preferably electrically heated, with temperature control device  
B.3 Procedure  
Weigh accurately about 5 g of the material into a dry tarred dish, and dry to constant mass in air -oven a t a 
temperature of 105 C 1 C.  Cool in a desiccator and weigh.  Constant mass shall be considered to have been 
attained when successive heating for one -hour period shows a difference of not more than 5 mg in the net loss 
in mass.  
B.4 Calculation  
The moi sture and volatile matter content is expressed as follows:  
Moisture and volatile matter content (at 105 C), percent by mass =  
100
01 0
mm m  
where  
m0 is the mass, in grams, of the material taken for test, and  
m1 is the mass, in grams, of the ma terial upon drying  DEAS 787  
© EAC 2020 – All rights reserved  5 
 Annex C  
(normative)  
 
Determination of matter insoluble in water  
C.1 Apparatus  
C.1.1 Beaker, 150-mL capacity  
C.1.2 Steam bath  
C.1.3 Buchner flask,  500-mL capacity, fitted with sintered glass filter funnel (porosity 4)  
C.1.4 Air-oven,  preferably electrically heated, with temperature control device  
C.2 Reagents  
C.2.1  Ethyl alcohol,  freshly boiled, 96  % or higher (by volume)  
C.2.2  Distilled water  
C.3 Procedure  
Weigh accurately about 5 g of the material into a beaker, and digest with 50 mL of ethyl alcohol by heating on 
a steam bath for about 2 min. Stir and break up any hard lump with a glass rod flattened at one end. Allow the 
solid matter to settle and decant the hot alcoholic solution through a sintered glass filter funnel fitted to a Buchn er 
flask to which suction is applied. Repeat the alcoholic digestion in a similar manner with five further consecutive 
30 mL portions of boiling ethyl alcohol. Filter each extract in turn through the same sintered glass funnel and, 
finally, wash the residu e several times with hot ethyl alcohol to remove all the alcohol soluble matter.  
Even after digestion with five 30 mL portions of boiling ethyl alcohol, the alcohol insoluble portion may 
sometimes be found to be sticky. In that case treat it further with more boiling ethyl alcohol until it is free from 
active matter and the alcohol insoluble portion is no longer sticky  
After filtering and washing the residue thoroughly with hot ethyl alcohol, change the receiver, extract the residue 
with successive portion s of distilled water at about 60 °C, and wash the residue several times to remove all the 
water solubles. Dry the sintered glass funnel with the residue in an air -oven at a temperature of 105 °C ± 2 °C 
until a constant mass is obtained.  
C.4 Calculation  
The matter insoluble in water  is expressed as follows:  
Matter insoluble in water, % by mass = 100
mm1  
where  
m1 is the mass, in grams, of matter insoluble in water; and  
m is the mass, in grams, of material taken for the test.  
   DEAS 787 :2020  
6 © EAC  2020 – All rights reserved  
 Annex D 
(norm ative)  
 
Determination of pH 
D.1 General  
pH determination shall be made in an acid free atmosphere.  
D.2 Apparatus  
D.2.1 pH meter , any standard electrometric instrument, equipped with a low sodium error glass electrode. 
The instrument shall be calibrated an d standardized with standard buffer solution before use.  
D.2.2 Volumetric flask , 100 mL capacity  
D.3 Reagents   
D.3.1 Distilled water  
Distilled water shall be boiled thoroughly or purged with carbon dioxide free air to remove carbon dioxide, and 
shall be protected with soda lime or soda asbestos while cooling and in storage. The pH of this water shall be 
between 6.2 and 7.2 at 30  °C. The residue on evaporation when heated at 105  °C for one hour shall not exceed 
0.5 mg /L.  
D.3.2 Standard buffer solution  
Any two suitable buffer solutions within the pH range of 9 to 11 at 30  °C for calibrating the pH meter  
D.4 Procedure  
Weigh 10  g  0.001 g material and transfer to a 1-L volumetric flask. Partially fill the flask with distilled water 
and agitate until the sample is completely dissolved. Adjust the temperature of the solution and the distilled 
water to 30 °C 0.5 °C, and fill to the calibration mark with distilled water. Stopper the flask, mix thoroughly, and 
allow the solution to stand at a temperature of 30  °C for 2 h prior to measuring the pH. Measure the pH of the 
solution using a glass electrode  at 25 °C ± 2 °C.  DEAS 787  
© EAC 2020 – All rights reserved  7 
 Annex E 
(normative)  
 
Determination of Non-Detergent Organic Matter (NDOM)  
E.1 General  
The term non -detergent organic matter includes hydrocarbons, f atty alcohols and perfumes. Using petroleum 
ether and under the conditions prescribed, non -detergent organic matter only is extracted leaving any 
alkylolamide present in the material.  
E.2 Apparatus  
E.2.1 Evaporating basin  
E.2.2 Separating funnels , 1 000 -mL capacity.  
E.2.3 Wide mouthed flat -bottomed flask , 200 -mL capacity  
E.2.4 Buchner flask , 500 -mL capacity, fitted with a sintered glass filter funnel (porosity 4)  
E.3 Reagents  
E.3.1 Ethyl alcohol, 50 %, 70 %. 90 % and 96% (by volume)  
E.3.2 Petroleum ether,  boiling range 40 °C to 60 °C non -volatile residue at 80 °C maximum 0.001%  
E.3.3 Acetone,  non-volatile residue at 80 °C maximum 0.001 %  
E.4 Procedure  
E.4.1 For the r emoval of inorganic salts , weigh accurately about 5 g of the material in a 150 -mL squat beak er. 
Extract with 50 m L of hot 90 % ethanol by heating on the steam bath for about 2 min stirring and breaking up 
any hard lumps with a glass rod flattened at the end.  
Allow the solid matter to settle and decant the hot aIcoholic solution through a sintered  glass filter funnel 
(porosity 4) fitted to a 500 -mL Buchner flask to which suction is applied. Repeat the extraction in a similar 
manner with five further consecutive 30 -mL quantities of boiling 90 % ethanol. Pass each extract in turn through 
the filter i nto the flask.  
E.4.2 Transfer quantitatively all the combined filtrate from the Buchner flask to a 1 -L separating funnel and 
rinse the flask four times with 40 -mL quantities of distilled water, transferring each wash in turn to the separating 
funnel. Add 1 00 m L of petroleum ether, swirl gently to ensure adequate mixing and allow the two phases to 
separate. Run off the aqueous alcoholic layer into a second separating funnel, and extract with 75 m L of 
petroleum ether. Repeat the extraction of the aqueous alco holic phase in the third separating funnel with a 
further 75 m L of petroleum ether. Combine the three ether extracts in the first separating funnel. Rinse each of 
the two empty funnels with a few millilitres petroleum ether and add the rinsing to the combi ned ether extracts.  
E.4.3 Wash the combined ether extracts and rinsing (see E.4.2) with four successive 50 -mL portions of 70 % 
ethyl alcohol, shaking and removing the alcoholic phase each time. Transfer the ether layer in stages to a tared 
flask and evapor ate off the solvent. Add 10 m L of acetone and evaporate off the solvent. Rotate the flask on a 
steam bath during the operation. Cool the flask to about 60 °C to 65 °C, gently blow out the last traces of solvent 
with a current of dry air, cool in a desiccat or and weigh.    DEAS 787 :2020  
8 © EAC  2020 – All rights reserved  
 E.5 Calculation  
The n on- detergent organic matter  shall be expressed as follows:  
Non- detergent organic matter, %, by mass  = 
mm1100  
where  
m1 is the mass , in grams,  of the non -detergent organic matter in the flask; and  
m is the mass , in grams,  of the material taken for the test.  DEAS 787  
© EAC 2020 – All rights reserved  9 
 Annex F 
(normative)  
 
Sampling procedure for powder detergents  
F.1 General requirements  
F.1.1 In drawing preparing, storing and handling samples, the precautions in F.1.2 – F.1.7 shall be observed.  
F.1.2 Samples shall not be taken from place s exposed to damp air, dust or soot.  
F.1.3 The sampling instruments shall be clean and dry when used.  
F.1.4 The samples, the material being sampled, the sampling instruments and the containers for samples 
shall be pro tected from adventitious contamination.  
F.1.5 The samples shall be placed in clean and dry glass containers. The sample containers shall be of such 
a size that they are almost completely filled by the sample.  
F.1.6 Each container shall be sealed airtight a fter filling, and marked with full details of sampling  which 
include , date of sampling, batch or code number, name of manufacturer, and other important particulars of the 
consignment.  
F.1.7 The samples shall be stored in such a manner that the temperature of the material does not vary unduly 
from the normal temperature, and that they are protected from light.  
F.2 Scale of sampling  
F.2.1 In a single consignment, all the packages containing non -soapy detergents of the same type and form, 
and drawn from the sa me batch of manufacture, shall constitute a lot. If the consignment consists of packages 
containing non -soapy detergents of different types and forms, then the packages containing non -soapy 
detergents of the same type form and batch of manufacture shall be  grouped together, and such group shall 
constitute a separate lot.  
F.2.2 For ascertaining the conformity of the lot to the requirements prescribed in this standard, tests shall be 
carried out on each lot separately. The number (n) of packages to be selecte d for drawing the samples shall 
depend upon the size (N) of the lot and sha ll be in accordance with Table F.1 .   DEAS 787 :2020  
10 © EAC  2020 – All rights reserved  
 Table F.1  — Scale of sampling   
No. of packages in the lot  
(N) No. of packages to be selected  
(n) 
4 to 15  3 
16 to 40  4 
41 to 65  5 
66 to 110  7 
111 and above  10 
NOTE  When the size of  the lot is 3 packages or less, the number of containers to be selected and the 
criteria for judging the conformity of the lot to the specifications should be as agreed on between the 
purchaser /inspector  and the sup plier.  
 
BU - Add the column related to the Number of samples – (Discussion)   
 
F.2.3 The packages shall be selected at random and to ensure randomness of selection, a random number 
table shall be used. In case such tables are not available, the procedure g iven below  may be adopted.  
Starting from any package, count all the packages in one order as 1, 2, 3,…, up to r and so on, where r is the 
integral part of N/n, (N being the lot size and n the number of packages to be selected). Every rth package thus 
count ed shall be withdrawn to give a sample for the purposes of test.  
F.3 Preparation of gross samples, test sample and reference sample  
F.3.1 Gross sample  
From each one of the packages selected as in F.2, draw at random one or more containers. The material in the 
containers so chosen shall be nearly thrice the quantity required for purpose of test as indicated in F.4. 
The powder  from the containers selected shall be disintegrated, if aggregated , and mixed thoroughly to give the 
gross sample for the package.  
F.3.2 Test sample  
F.3.2.1  Segregate carefully the gross samples of powders. From the gross representing each form of 
synthetic detergent take a small but equal quantity of material and mix thoroughly into a composite sample 
which should be of a size sufficien t to carry out triplicate testing for all the characteristics specified under C.4. 
The composite samples representing each form and type of synthetic detergent shall be divided into three equal 
parts, one for the purchaser /inspector , another for the suppli er, and the third for the referee.  
F.3.2.2  The remaining portion of the material in each of the gross samples shall be divided into three equal 
pans, each forming an individual sample. One set of individual samples, representing the n selected packages 
shall be for the purchaser /inspector , another for the supplier, and the third for refere nce. 
F.3.2.3  All the composite and individual samples shall be transferred to separate containers. These 
containers shall then be sealed airtight with stoppers, and labell ed with full particulars of identification given in 
F.1.6. 
F.3.3 Refere nce samples  
F.3.3.1  The refere nce samples shall consist of a composite sample and a set of individual samples. All the 
containers shall bear the seals of both the purchaser /inspector  and the supplier, and shall be kept at a place 
agreed to between the two parties.  
F.3.3.2  Refere nce samples shall be used in case of any dispute between the purchaser /inspector  and the 
supplier.  DEAS 787  
© EAC 2020 – All rights reserved  11 
 F.4 Number of tests  
F.4.1 Tests for the determination of active  ingredient shall be performed on each of the individual samples.  
F.4.2 Tests for the determination of other requirements  specified in Table 1 shall be conducted on the 
composite sample.  
F.5 Criteria for conformity  
F.5.1 For individual samples  
F.5.1.1 For the characteristic, which has been determined on the individual sample, the mean (X) and the 
range (R) of test results shall be calculated as follows:  

resultstestof Numberresultstestof SumMean X
 
Range ( R) is the difference between the maximum and the minimum value of test res ults. 
F.5.1.2 If the specification limit for the characteristic is given as a minimum, the value of the expression (
X
- KR) shall be calculated from the relevant test results (see also F.5.1.5). If the value so obtained is greater 
than or equal to the minimum limit, the lot shall be declared as conforming to the requirement for the 
characteristic.  
F.5.1.3 If the specification limit for the characteristic is given as a maximum, the value of the expression (
X
+ KR) sh all be calculated from the relevant test results (see also F.5.1.5). If the value so obtained is less than 
or equal to the maximum limit, the lot shall be declared as conforming to the requirement for the characteristic.  
F.5.1.4 If the characteristic has t wo-sided specification limits, then the values of the expression (
X  ± KR) 
shall be calculated from the relevant test results (see also F.5.1.5). If the value so obtained lies between the 
two specification limits, the lot shall be decl ared as conforming to the requirement for the characteristic.  
F.5.1.5 The value of the factor K referred to in F.5.1.2 - F.5.1.4 shall be c hosen in accordance with Table 
F.2, depending upon the acceptable quality level, that is, the percentage, of non -conforming packages that may 
be tolerated reasonably.  
Table F.2  — Value of 'K' for achieving different acceptable quality levels  
Acceptable quality level  Value of 'K'  
Not more than 3.0 % defectives  0.4 
Not more than 1.5 % defectives  0.5 
Not more than 0.5 % defectives  0.6 
 
F.5.2 For composite sample  
For declaring the conformity of the lot to the requirements of all the remaining characteristics determined on the 
composite sample, the test results for each one of the characteristics shall satisfy the relevant  requirement given 
in Table 1 of this standard . 
 
. EAS 787:2013    
 
© EAC 2013 – All rights reserved