Understanding the Role of Sulfuric Acid in Water Treatment
Many professionals know how important sulfuric acid is in water treatment, but not nearly as many truly understand the varied roles sulfuric acid plays in maintaining healthy, clean drinking water. Bell Chem, the water treatment ingredient supplier, wishes to showcase sulfuric acid’s many water treatment tasks.
Pulling moisture from water?
It seems contradictory that sulfuric acid is able to pull moisture from potable water, but it does. When sulfuric acid is added to water, it causes the acid to completely dissociate, forming a gas in an exothermic reaction as it bonds to water molecules. As the moisture is removed, the particles and contaminants within that moisture is likewise pulled asunder. The freed particles link together, forming much heavier particles that sink to the bottom of the tank. In other words, the power of sulfuric acid is, in the long run, as a desiccant.
Metals no more
Sulfuric acid reacts exothermically with corrosive metals, such as iron, calcium, and manganese, eliminating the metal ions while forming hydrogen gas.
pH adjustment
As an acid, sulfuric acid can pull a high wastewater pH down to neutral levels where water can be harmlessly digested.
Disinfectant/odor eliminator
Water entering a treatment facility often contains tiny bits of particulate matter missed by alternate treatments. As a strong acid, sulfuric acid eliminates malodorous situations as it dissolves the pathogens that cause the odors. When bacteria and viruses are quelled, the water is disinfected and the public is much healthier. The Journal of Water Research published a study stating sulphuric acid eliminates 99% of the waterborne bacteria they tested.
Neutralizing alkaline substances
Sulfuric acid neutralizes chlorine, which is listed as a strong pollutant. While chlorine is a commonly used chemical in water treatment, it must be largely eliminated by the time it reaches the consumer. Likewise, calcium carbonate forms a precipitate when in the presence of sulfuric acid, flocculating harmlessly to the base of the tank to be removed.
Bell Chem is your water treatment ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or send us an online message.
Understanding the Different Types of USP Ingredients
Reading labels is vitally important, but it can be confusing. Adding to this is a completely different category of ingredients, specifically, USP ingredients. What are USP ingredients, and how do they differ from traditional ingredients? Your USP ingredient supplier, Bell Chem, is happy to shed light on USP ingredients.
The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) was founded more than 200 years ago to oversee the medicines, supplements, and foods Americans consume. Following quality standards open to public inspection, the USP engages in science to supply medicines meeting strict guidelines on purity, identity, performance, and strength, thereby delivering quality medicines around the world while increasing consumer health.
Prescription Medicine Quality Standards
The purity and strength of prescription medicines cannot be overlooked. Many diseases require precise dosages, and USP ensures every dose is accurate. The quality standards for prescriptions fall under three categories: general chapters, material reference standards, and monographs.
General chapters outline product development procedures to any industry involved in prescription medicine or devices.
Material reference standards is a quality control step guaranteeing medications — along with their individual ingredients — meet USP testing requirements.
Monographs address quality expectations — content uniformity, identity and strength — for medicines and medical products. These written directives are required by the FDA to ensure all quality standards are met or exceeded.
Components of a monograph
Here’s a more detailed look at the components of a monograph:
Identity: A medicine’s label means nothing if no quality control exists. USP monographs demand the ingredients and substances within the medication are what is claimed on the medicine’s packaging per the Food and Drug Administration’s approval.
Strength: A bottle of prescription medication has a small range of variability for each tablet within each bottle. USP regulations test for those narrow ranges to verify the medication meets the FDA’s guidelines.
Purity: Some medications allow impurities in small amounts, when applicable. USP monographs explain the amount of those impurities, along with how they were measured and tested.
Performance: Extensive laboratory testing on how a medication affects the human body is written on this section of the USP monograph.
Meeting or exceeding the monograph expectations grants the medication USP approval once the facility’s medication is approved by the FDA.
Examples of USP tests
USP testing encompasses many aspects of medicine, from machinery to medications. Many of these tests are not necessarily a huge part of Bell Chem’s daily routine. However, several are vital for USP-worthy products. For instance, as a test for uniformity of nutritional and dietary supplements, many of Bell Chem’s products fall under the category USP 2021/2022. The testing includes checking the total number of oxygen-dependent bacteria in supplements.
Bell Chem is your USP ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or send us an online message.
The Significance of Safety Data Sheets and Understanding Chemical Labels
Every time you open a chemical from Bell Chem – or any other industrial chemical supplier – you are sure to see a Safety Data Sheet (SDS). These sheets are mandated by Hazard Communication Standard regulations. Most consumers simply toss these away before exploring their chemicals, but the insertion of Safety Data Sheets is vitally important for the safety and health of those interacting with chemicals. Learn how to properly read and utilize Safety Data Sheets with this simple guide.
Every SDS you pick up will contain the same 16 sections in the same order for you to quickly discern which area you need to access. Chemicals are often dangerous, and you do not want to waste precious time searching for the solution for a spill within the entire document. Familiarize yourself with each section to ensure you can act quickly.
These are the 16 sections you’ll find in the document:
Identification: gives the chemical name and manufacturer.
Hazard identification: highlights hazard classifications for each chemical, pictograms for hazards, and precautions.
Composition/information on ingredients: gives the chemical’s concentration, chemical abstracts service to allow a compendium of aliases for each chemical, and compound/mixture information.
First aid measures: gives a step-by-step guide for symptoms and effects as well as immediate medical treatment.
Fire-fighting measures: explains the equipment necessary to quell a fire caused by this chemical and provides information on the proper personal equipment to employ.
Accidental release measures: shows how to contain a small or large spill or leak.
Handling and storage: explains how to properly store chemicals and how they should be manipulated.
Exposure controls and personal protection: provides exposure limits and threshold values; it also recommends proper personal protective equipment (PPE) for each chemical.
Physical and chemical properties: gives physical and chemical characteristics such as odor, solubility, melting and boiling points, flammability, and more.
Stability and reactivity: includes how stable the chemical is under normal conditions along with how it will react when conditions are not normal. It also punctuates in which manner chemicals should not be handled.
Toxicological information: explains both short- and long-term inhalation effects.
Ecological information: focuses on how the chemical affects the environment.
Disposal consideration: tells how to safely dispose of the chemical.
Transport information: gives the proper shipping name, transport hazard class, and safe-handling practices while in transit.
Regulatory information is specific health, safety, and environmental regulations.
Other information: tacks on the date the SDS was prepared and when information is updated.
Learning these categories enables your employees to quickly peruse SDSs either online or in your SDS book in case of emergency. Keep your employees and their surroundings safe. Learn to properly read your SDSs and train your employees to recognize the importance of these safety sheets. It could mean the difference between a minor accident and a major emergency.
Bell Chem is your industrial chemical supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or send us an online message.