Description

Methylene blue is a synthetic dye with the chemical formula C₁₆H₁₈ClN₃S. Beyond its medical use, it has many industrial applications.
Industrial applications of methylene blue
Textile Industry
Used as a dye for cotton, silk, wool, paper, and leather.
Also used in dyeing and printing processes.
Aquaculture and Fisheries
Used to treat fungal infections in fish eggs and ornamental fish.
Helps prevent certain bacterial and parasitic infections in fish tanks.
Water and Wastewater Treatment
Used as an indicator dye in laboratory testing.
Commonly used in adsorption studies to evaluate activated carbon, bentonite, zeolites, and other adsorbents.
Chemical Laboratories
Functions as a redox (oxidation-reduction) indicator.
Used in analytical chemistry and educational experiments.
Microbiology and Biotechnology
Used for staining bacteria, fungi, and biological tissues for microscopic examination.
Helps distinguish living from dead cells in some laboratory procedures.
Paper Industry
Used to color specialty papers and for quality control testing.
Food and Packaging Research
Used in dye penetration tests to detect leaks or seal integrity in packaging materials.
Environmental Research
Used as a model pollutant to test the effectiveness of adsorbents and photocatalysts in removing dyes from wastewater.
Electrochemical Research
Used in sensors, electrochemical studies, and as an electron-transfer mediator in some experiments.
Educational and Research Institutions
Widely used in chemistry, biology, and environmental science laboratories for demonstrations and experiments.