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Re: acid cleaning

To: "Kelley Mascher" <mascherk@attbi.com>, <Shop-Talk@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: acid cleaning
From: "Phil Ethier" <pethier@isd.net>
Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2002 22:06:51 -0600
>I have been told that for relatively mild acids you should dilute heavily
and neutralize them with a base like baking soda or TSP. They can then be
dumped in your home drain.

>Not the storm drain.

Indeed.  In most places, that's the same as dumping it in the lake or river.
In our case, the Mississippi.

>One of the biggest problems treatment plants have is the acidity of normal
sewage, they have to do a lot of acid neutralizing to get back to a balanced
pH.

Hmm.  Lots of soap in sewage, and that tends to be alkaline.

In my job as  sewer-charge administrator (one of several hats I wear at
work), I adjust sewer charges for several chemical plants.  They each have a
concrete pit wherein they buffer their chemical waste to a pH that the Pig's
Eye sewage-treatment plant likes.  Even the floor drains in these buildings
drain to this "neutralizer".

>Keep in mind I'm just repeating things I've heard. Call your local water
treatment plant and give them concentration of phosphoric acid you plan to
use. They should be able to give you advice.


Just don't call me.   We don't own the sewage plant.  I've only been in the
joint once.  On the coldest day of the year, too.

Phil Ethier  West Side   Saint Paul  Minnesota  USA
1970 Lotus Europa, 1992 Saturn SL2, 1986 Suburban, 1962 Triumph TR4 CT2846L
pethier@isd.net   http://www.mnautox.com/  http://www.vtr2002.org

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