Hydrogen Chloride

Hydrogen chloride (HCI) is a chemical compound used for a variety of different purposes. Its corrosive elements and its solubility in water make it an ideal compound for fulfilling the needs of distinct products and professional uses. In this blog post, you will learn all about the many different uses of hydrogen chloride.  

Food Processing and Production

Hydrogen chloride is used both in the processing and production of many different foods we consume daily. When combined with water to form hydrochloric acid, hydrogen chloride is utilized as an acidifier in different foods to increase their shelf life and boost their flavor. Some of the different foods that use hydrogen chloride for its acidic qualities include canned foods, vegetable juices, and many different sauces.  

In addition to food producers utilizing hydrogen chloride to preserve foods and increase flavors, producers also use hydrochloric acid to process corn syrup. A few of the many different products that use corn syrup processed from hydrochloric acid include ketchup, cookies, crackers, soft drinks, and many different cereal brands.  

Cleaners 

Due to its strong acidic properties, hydrogen chloride is a powerhouse ingredient for various cleaning products. The aqueous solution for hydrogen chloride (hydrochloric acid) is used for heavy-duty cleaning and is also used in household cleaners. One common household cleaner that often utilizes hydrogen chloride is tile cleaner. Tiles build up hard-to-remove stains, but hydrogen chloride’s acidic properties assist tile cleaning products to remove difficult stains.   

Additionally, the compound is often found in bathroom-related cleaning products, such as toilet bowl cleaners because it’s great for cleaning porcelain. 

Although hydrogen chloride is great for removing stains and cleaning restrooms, it also has another common cleaning use: pool sanitation. When hydrochloric acid is utilized in pool sanitation products, it’s often labeled “muriatic acid,” but it bears no difference. The compound works well as a pool cleaning solution because it maintains pH levels within pool water.  

Medical 

Hydrochloric acid is utilized in many different medical applications. Its acidic properties make it an optimal product for keeping medical surfaces clean. Medical professionals use hydrogen chloride as a disinfectant agent, and it is also used in many different specific medical disinfectants. Hydrogen chloride is used in tuberculocide (for disinfecting surfaces containing tuberculosis bacteria), virucide (for killing viruses), fungicide (for cleaning surfaces with fungi), and microbicide (for cleaning slime-forming bacteria).  

In addition to using specific disinfectant products containing hydrogen chloride, medical professionals also use hydrogen chloride for general medical sanitation.  

Construction and Building 

Hydrochloric acid is commonly used in the construction industry because it’s great for removing rust and other unwanted materials from carbon, steel, and alloy. After removing rust and other impurities with hydrochloric acid, the materials are then used for construction. Additionally, many other products utilize steel after it’s cleaned with hydrochloric acid. Some of these products include car bodies and different household appliances. 

The construction industry and many other industries also use hydrochloric acid in aluminum etching products.  

Contact Airgas Specialty for Your Hydrogen Chloride Needs 

Airgas Specialty is a leading supplier of different industrial chemical products, including anhydrous ammonia, aqua ammonia, methylamines, and hydrogen chloride. We guarantee that our chemical products meet or exceed industry specifications, and we have a qualified team of drivers who are trained to deliver chemicals safely. Additionally, our team is also qualified to provide maintenance and emergency assistance for ammonia systems.  

If you’re ready to experience what makes Airgas Specialty products exceptional, contact us or visit our store! We’re located at 2530 Sever Road, Suite 300, Lawrenceville, GA 30043. You can also contact us by clicking here or calling 800-295-225. For ordering information regarding hydrogen chloride, contact 1-800-654-0517.