On an average trip to the supermarket, shoppers may stock up on detergent, purchase a bottle of aspirin and take a look at the latest headlines on newspapers and magazines. At first glance, it may not seem like these items have much in common. However, for each of them, caustic soda plays a key role in their ingredient lists or manufacturing processes.
What is caustic soda?
Caustic soda is the chemical compound sodium hydroxide (NaOH). This compound is an alkali – a type of base that can neutralize acids and is soluble in water. Today caustic soda can be manufactured in the form of pellets, flakes, powders, solutions and more.
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What is caustic soda used for?
Caustic soda has become a common ingredient in the production of many everyday items. Commonly known as lye, it has been used to make soap for centuries, and its ability to dissolve grease makes it a common ingredient in oven cleaners and products used to unclog drains.
Caustic soda is often used to manufacture cleaning products like soaps and detergents.
Sodium hydroxide also plays a key role in processing wood pulp to create paper and cardboard boxes, which have become increasingly essential over the course of the global COVID-19 pandemic as medical supplies are shipped long distances.
The chemical compound is also used to break down the sedimentary rock that aluminum is extracted from. The mineral then goes on to be used in a number of items like construction materials, automobiles and consumer goods like food packaging and soda cans.
One perhaps unexpected use for caustic soda is in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals like blood thinners and cholesterol medication.
A versatile water treatment product, sodium hydroxide is often used to maintain the safety and cleanliness of pools by removing harmful metals like lead and copper. As a base, sodium hydroxide lowers acidity, regulating water’s pH. Additionally, the compound can be used to create sodium hypochlorite, which further disinfects water.
A co-product of the chlorine manufacturing process, caustic soda has been used for decades to create products that enhance our lives every day.
Uses & Benefits
Sodium hydroxide is used to manufacture many everyday products, such as paper, aluminum, commercial drain and oven cleaners, and soap and detergents.
Sodium Hydroxide in Cleaning & Disinfectant Products
Sodium hydroxide is used to manufacture soaps and a variety of detergents used in homes and commercial applications. Chlorine bleach is produced by combining chlorine and sodium hydroxide. Drain cleaners that contain sodium hydroxide convert fats and grease that can clog pipes into soap, which dissolves in water.
Sodium Hydroxide in Pharmaceuticals & Medicine
Sodium hydroxide is used to help manufacture a variety of medicines and pharmaceutical products, from common pain relievers like aspirin, to anticoagulants that can help to prevent blood clots, to cholesterol-reducing medications.
Sodium Hydroxide in Energy
In the energy sector, sodium hydroxide is used in fuel cell production. Fuel cells work like batteries to cleanly and efficiently produce electricity for a range of applications, including transportation; materials handling; and stationary, portable and emergency backup power applications. Epoxy resins, manufactured with sodium hydroxide, are used in wind turbines.
Sodium Hydroxide in Water Treatment
Municipal water treatment facilities use sodium hydroxide to control water acidity and to help remove heavy metals from water. Sodium hydroxide is also used to produce sodium hypochlorite, a water disinfectant.
Sodium Hydroxide in Food Production
Sodium hydroxide is used in several food processing applications, such as curing foods like olives or helping to brown Bavarian-style pretzels, giving them their characteristic crunch. Sodium hydroxide is used to remove skins from tomatoes, potatoes and other fruits and vegetables for canning and also as an ingredient in food preservatives that help prevent mold and bacteria from growing in food.
Sodium Hydroxide in Wood & Paper Products
In many paper making processes, wood is treated with a solution containing sodium sulfide and sodium hydroxide. This helps dissolve most of the unwanted material in the wood, leaving relatively pure cellulose, which forms the basis of paper. In the paper recycling process, sodium hydroxide is used to separate the ink from the paper fibers allowing the paper fibers to be reused again.
Sodium hydroxide is also used to refine raw materials for wood products such as cabinets and furniture and in wood bleaching and cleaning.
Sodium Hydroxide in Aluminum Ore Processing
Sodium hydroxide is used to extract alumina from naturally occurring minerals. Alumina is used to make aluminum and a variety of products including foil, cans, kitchen utensils, beer kegs and airplane parts. In building and construction, aluminum is used in materials that enable building facades and window frames.
Sodium Hydroxide in Other Industrial Manufacturing Uses
Sodium hydroxide is used in many other industrial and manufacturing processes. It is used to manufacture rayon, spandex, explosives, epoxy resins, paints, glass and ceramics. It is also used in the textile industry to make dyes, process cotton fabric and in laundering and bleaching, as well as in metal cleaning and processing, oxide coating, electroplating and electrolytic extracting.
Complications and risks of working with profits
Sodium hydroxide can easily combine with proteins and fats in living tissues to cause chemical burns and may cause permanent blindness in contact with the eyes.
Therefore, when using this compound or its solutions, protective equipment such as rubber gloves, safety clothing and eye protection should always be used. In case of contact with skin or eyes, rinse immediately with plenty of water for 10 to 15 minutes.
This chemical can cause serious damage if swallowed if swallowed, burning the esophagus and blood vessels, and can lead to bleeding and death.
Note that dissolving sodium hydroxide in water is very exothermic, and the resulting heat can cause flammable materials to burn or ignite.
Safety Information
Due to its strong corrosive qualities, exposure to sodium hydroxide in its solid or solution form can cause skin and eye irritation, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Workers in facilities where sodium hydroxide is manufactured or used should follow product safety instructions.
The U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has set guidelines and permissible exposure limits for workers in industries and facilities where sodium hydroxide substances are used, available on OSHA’s website.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health provides general safety information about transporting sodium hydroxide, including guidance on packaging and storage, spillage, disposal, and packaging and labeling for workers.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows sodium hydroxide as a food additive at levels lower than 1 percent
Helpful Tips
• Since it’s relatively hard to get hold of this chemical, you may need to buy in bulk. You may be able to find other people that need the chemical to help split the cost. It’s not an expensive item, but you probably don’t need several pounds of it.
• Keep the container sealed and away from moisture. Caustic soda absorbs and reacts with water.
• Keep lye away from children and pets. Touching or ingesting it can cause a potentially severe chemical burn
• Use gloves or utensils to handle caustic soda.
• Perform reactions involving this chemical in a well-ventilated room or outdoors. The reaction releases heat and noxious fumes.