Hydrochloric Acid

Hydrochloric acid (HCI), also known as muriatic acid, is a colorless to slightly yellow, watery liquid with a sharp, irritating odor. Hydrochloric acid is an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride gas. Hydrochloric acid is an important, widely-used, very strong acid.

Hydrochloric acid is a strong acid because it breaks up in water into H+ and Cl ions. All acids conduct electricity when in solution because ions can move freely.

The largest end uses for hydrochloric acid are:

  • Steel pickling
  • Oil well acidizing
  • Food manufacturing
  • Ore processing

Our customers use HCI to neutralize alkaline agents and as a bleaching agent in food, textiles, metal, and in manufacturing rubber.

Northstar provides hydrochloric acid in several dilutions, 35% (22 Baume) and 31% (20 Baume) being the most common. Hydrochloric acid can be provided in dilutions of 15% or lower which are then at the non-fuming level. We also can provide inhibited HCl and other specialty HCl blends.

Northstar offers hydrochloric acid in bulk and mini-bulk.

Please contact us to discuss your needs or to get additional info on our Mini-Bulk Tank Loan Program for this product.

Hydrochloric Acid Functions:

  • Metal treatment
  • Chemical manufacturing
  • Manufacturing organic compounds like resins and ethanol
  • Regulating the pH level of manufacturing processes
  • Lowering the pH (or alkalinity) of water
  • Removing and dissolving rust and scale
  • Regenerating ion exchange resin systems
  • Producing inorganic compounds (such as ferric chloride and aluminum chlorohydrate for water treatment)
  • Assisting in oil production at oil wells
  • Neutralizing of alkaline products and waste materials
  • Processing various food products and additives through hydrolysis, purification, and neutralization
  • Producing animal feed additives and milling corn
  • Clarifying and neutralizing waste streams
  • Recovering semi-precious metals from catalysts
  • Manufacturing dyes & pigments

Industries Use Hydrochloric Acid for These Applications:

  • In steel production in the pickling process, which removes rust from steel coils and sheets
  • In aluminum etching, metal prefixing for galvanizing and soldering, and for metal cleaning
  • In oil well stimulation and acidizing, HCI removes rust, scale, and carbonate deposits in oil wells to encourage the flow of crude oil or gas to the well
  • Manufacturers of consumables and pharmaceuticals use HCl to improve the pH balance of drinking water, food, and pharmaceuticals
  • Manufacturers of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) use HCl in manufacturing the organic compounds used in producing PVC
  • To adjust swimming pool pH balance
  • For corn starch hydrolysis to make corn syrup
  • Deionized-Water Producers use HCl in the process of removing ionized particles from water
  • Wastewater Management uses HCI to help wastewater managers produce the inorganic compounds they need to process wastewater
  • In mining, for ore treatment, extraction, separation, purification and water treatment
  • By the food industry to regenerate exchange resins, acid-modify cornstarch, and adjust pH of intermediates, final products, and wastewater; for hydrolyzing vegetable protein, consumed in the production of artificial sweeteners
  • In agriculture, as an animal feed additive
  • In chlorine dioxide systems
  • In the carbonizing of wool and de-liming, tanning, and dyeing of hides by the leather industry

Northstar’s Hydrochloric Acid Certifications

The hydrochloric acid provided by Northstar Chemical meets the following certifications: FCC Grade, Kosher, Halal, non-GMO, GRAS, NSF, Technical Grade

For more information, visit our certifications page.