Hydrochloric Acid 28%

Hydrochloric Acid is a strong inorganic acid that is used in many industrial processes such as refining metal. The application often determines the required product quality.

pH Control and neutralisation - Hydrochloric Acid can be used to regulate the acidity (pH) of solutions. Hydrochloric Acid is used to reduce the pH of the water in your swimming pool.As a guide, approximately 1.5 Litre of Hydrochloric Acid will reduce the pH of 10,000 gallons of water by approximately 0.1. Hydrochloric Acid can also be used to Acid wash tiled pools.
Pickling of steel - One of the most important applications of Hydrochloric Acid is in the pickling of steel, to remove rust or iron oxide scale from iron or steel before subsequent processing, such as extrusion, rolling, galvanizing, and other techniques.
Production of organic compounds - Another major use of Hydrochloric Acid is in the production of organic compounds, such as vinyl chloride and dichloroethane for PVC.
Production of inorganic compounds - Numerous products can be produced with Hydrochloric Acid in normal acid-base reactions, resulting in inorganic compounds. These include water treatment chemicals such as Iron(III) Chloride and Polyaluminium Chloride (PAC).
Regeneration of ion exchangers - High-quality Hydrochloric Acid is used in the regeneration of ion exchange resins. Cation exchange is widely used to remove ions such as Na+ and Ca2+ from aqueous solutions, producing demineralized water. The acid is used to rinse the cations from the resins.
Other - Hydrochloric Acid is used for a large number of small-scale applications, such as leather processing, purification of common salt, household cleaning, and building construction. Oil production may be stimulated by injecting hydrochloric acid into the rock formation of an oil well, dissolving a portion of the rock, and creating a large-pore structure. Oil well acidizing is a common process in the North Sea oil production industry.

Hydrochloric Acid has been used for dissolving calcium carbonate, i.e. such things as de-scaling kettles and for cleaning mortar off brickwork, but it is a hazardous liquid which must be used with care. When used on brickwork the reaction with the mortar only continues until the acid has all been converted, producing Calcium Chloride, Carbon Dioxide, and Water.

Handling and storage

Precautions for safe handling

Advice on safe handling : Keep container tightly closed. Ensure adequate ventilation. Use personal protective equipment. Avoid contact with skin, eyes and clothing. Do not breathe vapours or spray mist. Use respirator with appropriate filter if vapours or aerosol are released. Emergency eye wash fountains and emergency showers should be available in the immediate vicinity.

Hygiene measures : Keep away from food, drink and animal feedingstuffs. Smoking, eating and drinking should be prohibited in the application area. Wash hands before breaks and at the end of workday. Take off all contaminated clothing immediately.

Conditions for safe storage, including any incompatibilities

Requirements for storage areas and containers: Store in original container. Keep in an area equipped with acid resistant flooring. Suitable materials for containers: polyethylene; Polypropylene; Unsuitable materials for containers: Metals

Advice on protection against fire and explosion: Normal measures for preventive fire protection.

Further information on storage conditions: Keep tightly closed in a dry and cool place. Keep in a wellventilated place.

Advice on common storage: Keep away from food, drink and animal feedingstuffs. Keepaway from metals.