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RE: acid cleaning

To: <Shop-Talk@autox.team.net>
Subject: RE: acid cleaning
From: "Randall Young" <ryoung@navcomtech.com>
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2002 08:59:23 -0800
Dennis Hale wrote :
> We pretty much
> neutralized every acid with the NaOH reaction and it
> was considered quite acceptable.

For those unwilling to deal with lye (NaOH), baking soda (NaHCO3) serves the
same purpose (at somewhat increased expense).  And of course, won't hurt
your skin, clothing (or septic system).  Phosphoric acid + baking soda
produces carbon dioxide, water, and sodium phosphates (as commonly used in
laundry detergents).  The biggest problem you can expect from putting the
stuff in your septic system is your grass getting greener (sodium phosphates
are also good fertilizers).

> Heavy metal solutions
> required chelating and solid disposals, Iron and steel
> would not be among those problem areas. If you decide
> to strip your Chrome.Nickel in HCl on the other hand,
> there is a big problem with your waste, neutralized or not.

Absolutely !  Chrome, nickel, lead, cadmium, antimony, arsenic etc. are
definitely things you can't just "throw down the drain".  Even copper
compounds are iffy, definitely not something for your septic system (they'll
kill the bacteria and the grass).  I believe a few ppm are permissible in
municipal septic waste, tho.

Randall

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