If you take a look around you, you’ll see a whole bunch of chemicals without thinking about it. The walls that make up your home are made up of various chemicals. If you’re outside, chemicals form the plants you see or the concrete you walk on. Even the food you eat is made up of them.
At M&U, we’re in the business of chemicals. We make new ones through a process called chemical synthesis. The new substances that result from this process are known as synthetic chemicals.
How Chemical Synthesis Works
Have you ever heard of the Law of Conservation of Mass? It’s a widely-accepted principle that says matter cannot be created nor destroyed. Chemicals are just a type of matter, so this law applies to them. At M&U, we don’t actually create chemicals. We simply make new combinations.
The process begins with a chemical reaction, where natural substances interact under controlled conditions. Having that control is very important because we want to ensure that unwanted substances aren’t being added. If that happens, it can be impossible to use the new chemical in the exact way it is needed.
For example, let’s say there’s a new chemical we discover that makes car engines run better. It requires specific chemicals to interact. If another element is accidentally added, this can throw off the entire formula. Instead of helping your car engine, the resulting chemical can actually destroy it.
Through controlled reactions, chemists can manipulate the chemical structure of the substances to get exactly what they need.
Natural and Synthetic Chemicals: The Basics
Natural chemicals are substances found in nature. These can be produced by plants, animals, minerals, and even bacteria. They’re naturally occurring, meaning regular processes create them. No humans are needed.
Synthetic chemicals are the exact opposite. They were not created in nature. Humans reacted natural chemicals together to form them.
Natural chemicals have been part of the human diet and environment for centuries. Through human ingenuity, we’ve discovered how to use them to create new chemicals that benefit our lives.
Benefits of Synthetic Chemicals
What have you been doing today? Did you brush your teeth? Take a shower? Eat breakfast? Drive to work? If you did any of those things, you likely interacted with synthetic chemicals in some way.
The toothpaste you used contains them, as does the shampoo you applied to your hair. The meal you ate probably contained food additives. If you opted for fruits or vegetables, synthetic pesticides were likely used to protect it from bugs. These kinds of chemicals are also used in the production of synthetic rubber, which is a major component in the tires that you have on your car.
On top of all of that, synthetic chemicals are used to create medications that improve human health and treat chronic diseases. This includes drugs that have been prescribed to you as well as anti-inflammatories that you can get over the counter.
Chemical Reactions and Their Importance
Chemical reactions are an essential part of everyday life. When you eat, your body breaks down food through these reactions. Plants also use them to create their own energy, namely through photosynthesis.
Reactions in nature can create useful materials for us. That’s how we get things like wood, vegetables, fruit, and even honey.
Chemical reactions are also responsible for transforming natural products into synthetic ones with desired physical and biological properties.
Let’s take pesticides for example. You don’t find a lot of natural pesticides in nature, at least not with the same effect that you would want if you’re a farmer who has to harvest food at a massive scale. Instead, you need synthetic pesticides, which involve specific chemical reactions to create the compounds needed to keep bugs out, so that there is enough food to go around.
The difference between natural and synthetic reactions is that it’s humans who are making the synthetic reactions happen. This enables us to have as much control as possible, so that the new chemicals do exactly what we want.
Are Synthetic Chemicals Harmful?
We’re not going to lie. The answer is sometimes. It depends on what they’re used for. Some of them are considered toxic chemicals. They can be useful for industries, but they shouldn’t be exposed to humans or animals.
That’s why you should always take steps to prevent yourself from harmful exposure. This means always reading the warning labels of whatever product you’re using and following them.
With that being said, just because one synthetic chemical is harmful doesn’t mean they all are. In fact, some of them are responsible for prolonging our lives, especially the ones used in medications.
There are also regulatory bodies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which monitor the use of these chemicals to ensure they are safe for human exposure.
Natural and Synthetic Products: A Balanced Perspective
Even though we are a synthetic chemical company, we wouldn’t say that what we create is automatically better than natural products. The truth is both natural and synthetic products have their place in our lives.
For example, when you are eating organic produce, you are getting the nutrition you need to go about your day. These consumer products don’t contain the types of chemicals we make at M&U, and that’s totally fine. We want you to take care of yourself any way you can.
However, many other synthetic products you use in everyday life go beyond what you eat, and they often make things better for everyone.
Look at synthetic rubber, for example. It’s actually what a lot of the tires on your car are made of. Natural rubber isn’t as durable against the wear-and-tear that tires inevitably go through as they carry a heavy vehicle. It also isn’t as good at resisting certain chemicals you might encounter on the road.
Another example is polyvinyl chloride. If you’ve ever heard of PVC pipes, that’s what they are. This is one of the most common plastics out there. It’s used in medical devices, wire insulation, and so much more! This synthetic product is probably in your walls right now.
The Role of Chemical Synthesis in Environmental Protection
Believe it or not, chemical synthesis can play a role in environmental protection. There is a type of chemistry known as green chemistry, which involves using the power of science to create chemicals that are good for the environment.
Part of it is about synthesizing chemicals that can be used to prevent waste. Another is about producing chemicals that have similar functions to what we’re already using, but they’re designed to be safer for the environment.
If we minimize the toxic chemicals like persistent organic pollutants, we can use synthesis to make the world a healthier place.
What M&U Has To Offer
When you start a business, one of the hardest parts is knowing where to get the chemicals and materials needed to manufacture the product that you are selling to enrich people’s lives.
Let M&U help you out. We have a ton of different chemical products to choose from. If you don’t know exactly what you need, talk to one of our sales representatives. They’re knowledgeable about our processes, and they’ll help you find what you’re looking for.
Contact us today to get started!
