Sodium hypochlorite

Sodium hypochlorite (sodium hypochlorous acid) is an inorganic compound, the sodium salt of hypochlorous acid.

The trivial (historical) name for an aqueous solution of salt is "labarrak water" or "jelly water".

The compound is very unstable in the free state, it is usually used in the form of a relatively stable pentahydrate NaOCl 5H2O or an aqueous solution with a characteristic pungent chlorine odor and highly corrosive properties.

Has an antiseptic and disinfectant effect. It is used as a household and industrial bleach and disinfectant, a water purifier and disinfectant, an oxidizer for some industrial chemical production processes.

It is used as a bactericidal and sterilizing agent in medicine, food industry and agriculture.

According to The 100 Most Important Chemical Compounds, sodium hypochlorite is one of the 100 most important chemical compounds.