In chemical industries, bleaching powder acts mainly as:

In chemical industries, bleaching powder acts mainly as an oxidising agent due to the release of nascent oxygen when it reacts with acids. Known chemically as calcium oxychloride, it is produced by the action of chlorine gas on dry slaked lime. Its ability to remove color from materials like wood pulp, cotton, and linen is a result of the oxidation of colored substances into colorless ones. Due to its strong oxidizing nature, it is also widely used for disinfecting drinking water by killing harmful germs and bacteria.