Sulphuric acid

Evening guys.

I have come up against a problem. Several years back I purchased a large bottle of sulphuric acid ( Stupidly ) as I had intended to attempt some boiler work and other silver soldering jobs.

I now after several years of tiptoeing around it feel that I must make some attempt to get rid of it for my own safety.

The bottle has had barely any removed as I have only done a few small soldering jobs at home.

Can anybody suggest where I could safely get rid of it please. I dont think the local tip would be too happy to have it. Otherwise if anybody out there in the manchester area requires some then it is yours to have. Would the local secondary school take it ? I obviously have no COSHH sheets to go with it. I originally bought the bottle from Blackgates.

Any help or advise would be very much appreciated.

Cheers

Dave

Dave

Have you checked with your local tip? It is my understanding that they are equipped, and have a responsibility, to dispose of hazardous chemicals.

An alternative might be to contact a local garage or car tyre/ battery supplier.

Cheers

Norman

Edited By NJH on 22/08/2012 00:05:27

Hi Dave,

I do a bit of anodising every now and again. It would probably be a lot purer than the stuff I'm currently (no pun intended) using, which was tipped out of some duff car batteries I got for nothing from a local tyre/battery place. Any idea of the strength?

I'm in Sale, if you want to send me a PM.

Otherwise:

Your local tip will take car batteries, so should be able to accept it, though the operatives may not realise that it is chemically the same as battery acid.

If you want to neutralise it and tip it down the drain, find a big non-metallic container (like a wheelie bin), half fill it with water, add the acid (always add acid to water, not vice versa) and then add washing soda crystals until it stops fizzing, and then the same amount of crystals again, just to be on the safe side. This will result in a solution of sodium sulphate (with maybe some sodium bisulphate present.). Sodium sulphate is harmless, but don't drink it, because it was once used as a laxative known as Glauber's Salts.

Andy

You could dilute it (1) and neutralise it (2).

(1) Add acid to cold water in a large tub, very slowly, stirring continuously. If it starts to get too hot, leave it for an hour or two to cool down. Wear eye protection and old clothes. Suggest you let it down in about 9-10 times its volume of water ready for step (2).

(2) Cheapest alternative for this would probably be a bag of builder's lime. It's calcium oxide, so it shouldn't froth much when added. Keep adding it - carefully - until the liquid is no longer acid (doesn't fizz when you put a bit of bicarb in it). The resulting sludge will be calcium sulphate, perfectly innocuous and probably good for the garden (but don't tell anyone I suggested it, it's probably against some daft EU law despite the fact that there are whole hills made of the stuff.) The builder's lime is mildly caustic when wet, so wear gloves, but nothing too serious, builders use it all the time.

David

Edited By David Littlewood on 22/08/2012 00:31:32

How large is 'large' ?

Just take it to your nearest model eng. club, I'm sure they would be pleased to have it.

Andy

Thank you - you have made my day !!

I usually peruse this forum whilst eating breakfast and I was following your useful advice to Dave. Then I came to the bit :-

"Sodium sulphate is harmless, but don't drink it, because it was once used as a laxative known as Glauber's Salts."

I choked on my cornflakes!

Cheers

Norman

Could be 33% thats about as strong as you can get from chemical places. Had 10 gallon of it then thinned down to 19% for anodising in 4ft fish tank which sorta broke.

Sorry about your fishtank, Jon. I hope it wasn't too hard to clear up the resulting mess and corrosion. You had the easier task, Norman, wiping the cereal-based pebbledash off the table, computer and Mrs Norman (if any).

Thanks for the PM, Dave. I'll be in touch tonight.

Andy

It would be criminal waste to take it for disposal when so many model engineers could use it for its intended purpose.

Edited By Bazyle on 22/08/2012 15:23:43

I may have a use for some.

Dr Crippen

Sorry Dr Crippen your a bit late.

Acid has been sorted and will be off to its new home on friday.

Many thanks as usual for the amusement and assistance given by all !

To test the concentration you can try dipping a dead cat head first into the solution, grasping it firmly by the tail and lowering slowly to avoid splashing. PPE must be worn at all times and only attempt this in a well ventilated area away from any possible ignitian sources. (one presumes death by natural causes(if you dont have a dead cat any reasonably sized mamal will do)). If it is close to the normal upper limit of 40% then upon removal from said solution said cat should be visually distressed. This assumes that said kitty was not in a state of dire distress as rigor set in! If on the other hand the conc has been diluted one might expect to see mogge re-enter the light with an otherwise unchanged complection. Hope this helps.

Oh I wanted it for my mother in law.

Damn.

Neil

Your post made me laugh - but you had the wrong murderer; the acid bath man was John George Haig, hanged for serial murder. He was AFAIK actually brought up in the same village as my father, thought there was quite a few years between them and my father didn't know him except by repute. He also attended the same school my father and I did. IIRC, Crippen (was alledged to have) buried his wife under the floor of his house; there was I think a small residual doubt whether he actually murdered her.

David

Edited By David Littlewood on 24/08/2012 23:23:58

serious head on for a momemt - it has been proven beyond any doubt that Crippen most certainly wasnt the murdurer - wrongly convicted.

Quote from Fizzy's "dead cats are better than litmus" post:: "If it is close to the normal upper limit of 40%......"

Well, the well-protected, 3/4 full gallon bottle which Dave C very kindly gave me the other night says 98%, which is about as concentrated as sulphuric acid comes.

It will last me more than my lifetime, so if anyone in the Manchester area wants any, send me a PM, and you are welcome to a cupful; bring your own cup

Johnny was a chemist's son,
But Johnny is no more

What Johnny thought was H2O
Was H2SO4

Andy

C2H5OK

Potassium ethoxide??

David

Over here in France - beyond the reach of EU Regs Ha Ha!, we use any old acid to clean the limescale off the lavatory pan etc, the rest goes down the drain / septic tank!! Mind you, one has to take a few precautions before sitting on the seat again.

Acid, acetone, both celulose and synthetic thinners and even the banned carbon tet sit on the same shelf at the local DIY store. I would hate to think what the HSE would say about that, however it is becomming more difficult (but not impossible) to buy sodium chloride crystals. As an aside, I saw Calcium Carbide for making wet acetyline gas on the shelf, and wondered who on earth bought that.

Please be extremely careful with what you have (concentrated H2SO4). I cannot stress how dangerous this is - it will go through your skin and flesh in a second. It realy should be taken to your local university chemistry department and left with them - I am stunned it is even out there. If you happen to drop the bottle and it breaks that is most certainly the end of you. Seriously!