Household products, acidity

Acids and bases are as familiar as aspirin and milk of magnesia although many people do not know their chemical names—acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) and magnesium hydroxide (milk of magnesia). In addition to being the basis of many medicinal and household products, acid-base chemistry is important in industrial processes and essential in sustaining biological systems. Before we can discuss acid-base reactions, we need to know more about acids and bases themselves. 

Preparation of 2 M Sodium Hydroxide (from Red Devil Lye or Diano ) Preparation of Phenolphthalein Indicator (using Ex-Lax ) pH CMbration of C abbage Juice Indicator pH Determination of Some Household Products Acid/Base Chemistry (with consumer products)... 

Household products containing phosphoric acid or its salts. 

FIGURE J.l The acidities of various household products can be demonstrated by adding an indicator (an extract of red cabbage, in this case) and noting the resulting color. Red indicates an acidic solution, blue basic. From left to right, the household products are (a) lemon juice, (b) soda water, (c) 7-Up, (d) vinegar,... 

Right now there is no easy way to dispose of very small quantities of hazardous household products, such as pesticides, batteries, outdated medicines, paint, paint removals, used motor oil, wool preservatives, acids, caustics, and so on. There are no places that accept such small quantities of wastes as generated by a small industrial/commercial site. For now, the best disposal techniques are listed in Table 1, which is recommended by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management, Bureau of Solid Waste Disposal. 

Attempts to label dangerous substances with either characteristic or outright unpleasant odors have not been successful with children, the primary victims of accidental poisonings by toxic household products. Children tolerate odors that adults find unpleasant, such as that of butyric acid. The range between the most pleasant and unpleasant odors is much narrower for children around 4years of age than for adults, and also much narrower than for taste stimuli. This means that olfactory cues are not suited to produce aversive responses in children (Engen, 1974b, Cain, 1978). 

Two of the most important classes of chemical compounds are acids and bases. A small sampling of acids and bases found around the home demonstrates their importance in daily life. A few of these include fruit juice, aspirin, milk, ammonia, baking soda, vinegar, and soap. Beyond their presence in numerous household items, acids and bases are key ingredients in the chemical process industry. More sulfuric acid is produced than any other chemical in the United States with an annual production of 40 million tons. While the commercial applications of acids and bases illustrate their importance in everyday life, on a more fundamental level each one of us inherited our characteristics and genetic make-up through the acid DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid. 

EMSORB Sorbitan Fatty Acid Esters are lipophilic emulsifiers and coupling agents serving as integral components of emulsif-iable Industrial mold release agents, textile fiber and yarn lubricants, and textile finishing softeners. They are widely used as surfactants and functional components in many kinds of Industrial and household products. 

When ants sense danger to the ant colony, they emit a substance called formic acid that alerts the entire colony. Acids in rainwater hollow out enormous limestone caverns and destroy valuable buildings and statues. Acids flavor many of the beverages and foods you like, and it s an acid in your stomach that helps digest what you eat. Bases also play a role in your life. The soap you use and the antacid tablet you may take for an upset stomach are bases. Perhaps you have already concluded that the household products you used in the DISCOVERY LAB are acids and bases. 

The litmus in litmus paper is one of the dyes commonly used to distinguish solutions of acids and bases, as shown in Figure 19-1. Aqueous solutions of acids cause blue litmus paper to turn pink. Aqueous solutions of bases cause red litmus paper to turn blue. With this information you can now identify the two groups of household products you used in the DISCOVERY LAB. 

You probably have some of these products in your home. Examine their labels and the labels of other household products and list the acids and bases you find. 

Many common food and household products are acidic (orange juice, vinegar, soft drink, citrus fruits) or basic (cleaning preparations, baking soda). 

In order to obtain the desired material properties, PVC products are treated with additives. With regard to the quantity, the phthalic esters, which are used as plasticisers, represent the most significant portion. In an indoor environment PVC occurs mostly in household products, floor coverings, wall coverings and electronic devices [69]. Since wall and floor coverings sometimes represent a major part of the surface area in a room [85], they might be a source for phthalic acid esters. The soft PVC used preferentially in wallpapers contains plasticiser portions of about 30%. These are mainly di- -butyl phthalate (DBP), di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) and diisononyl phthalate (DINP). 

A group of enzymes found in many common household products is the proteases. These enzymes hydrolyze proteins into free amino acids. The proteases in meat tenderizer make steak more tender by breaking down the proteins. ... 

Enormous quantities of phosphates are used, in fertilizers, food products, detergents and other household products. For fertilizer applications apatite is converted by the action of acid to the much more soluble compound Ca(H2P04)2, known as superphosphate (see Topic J4). 

The 11 white, solid household products used in this experiment are table salt, baking soda, washing soda, drain opener, boric acid, plaster of Paris, calcium supplement (calcium citrate), cornstarch, fruit sugar, table sugar, and epsom salt. 

The remaining 5 percent of phosphoric acid produced is used in a very wide range of commercial, industrial, and household products, including ... 

Phosphoric acid is an extremely hazardous and toxic compound. In small amounts, it causes irritation of the skin, eyes, and respiratory system. If ingested, it can cause serious damage to the digestive system, resulting in nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, difficulty in breathing, shock, and occasionally death by asphyxiation (suffocation). The most serious health hazards posed by phosphoric acid are of concern primarily to people who work with the product. The amount of phosphoric acid present in most domestic and household products is very small and poses little risk to users of those products. 

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