Acids are the collective name of a whole group of substances with a sour taste and a corrosive effect. There are many species: from weak lemon, to a crushing carborean. Acids are actively used in everyday life, and even more in production. Accordingly, their competent disposal is also required.
How to use acid?
The use of various acids is very extensive. Without them, it is impossible to carry out many technological operations, as well as make familiar all things. Metallurgy, food industry, automotive, pharmaceuticals, medicine, manufacturing textiles: this is far from a complete list of areas of human activity in which without acids nowhere.
As a rule, acid is mixed with any other substance, to launch a chemical reaction and obtain something (for example, powder or solution) with certain qualities. With the help of acid, tissues are whitened, water is cleaned, bacteria is killed, the shelf life of products is prolonged, to also cook food.
Acids in everyday life
To meet with acid, it is not necessary to work at a chemical plant at all. In ordinary life around us there is a lot of this substance. The simplest example is citric acid, which is traditionally used in cooking. It is sold in the form of crystalline powder. The addition of citric acid to the dough improves its taste and extends the expiration date.
But citric acid is one of the weakest in the world. Car owners can meet with acid more serious. An electrolyte is poured into the car’s battery this is a mixture of sulfuric acid and distilled water. If this mixture falls on clothes, the fabric can be seriously spoiled. In addition, sulfuric acid leads to a burn of hands, which is why you can never tilt the battery or turn it upside down.
Acids are also used to clean the surfaces of rust, etching paths on printed circuit boards (and radio amateurs often do this at home) and soldering of radio elements.
How to dispose of acid?
Acid disposal measures differ depending on its strength. Solutions of weak acids (for example, the same citric) are allowed to be drained into ordinary sewers. With acids, it is strongly impossible to do so. Especially when it comes to industrial volumes.
Often acids use again. For secondary use, neutralization can be carried out by adding a suitable chemical element. But it happens that the spent acid is used in another technological process without undergoing additional processing.
Endless to use the same acid will not work. Therefore, sooner or later, she undergoes disposal. Acid is neutralized chemically and exported to a special landfill for storing hazardous waste. Given the seriousness of this type of “garbage”, specialized organizations with protective equipment and suitable transport are often involved in transportation and burial.
