Colloidal Silver and Gold Forum

Production Techniques and Chemistry => Questions and Comments about Articles => Topic started by: Frank on June 25, 2016, 04:03:50 PM

Title: Sodium Carbonate Question
Post by: Frank on June 25, 2016, 04:03:50 PM
I have a bag of soda crystals here and I'm a little worried about a warning on the packet where it says "Not to be used in drinking water", also it says it contains "sodium carbonate decathydrate".

So my question is, would this be safe to use in the production of colloidal silver?

The companies name is dri pak that produces the soda crystals.
Title: Re: Sodium Carbonate Question
Post by: kephra on June 25, 2016, 04:15:53 PM
decahydrate means there are 10 water molecules attached to each molecule of sodium carbonate.  This is only important when weighing it.

Sodium carbonate is commonly used as a food additive, and to adjust the pH of water supplies.  In itself, it is perfectly safe.  The question for you is what else is in the product you have.  Since you don't know, then you should assume that it is not pure, and I would not recommend using it.

You would be better off to convert some baking soda to sodium carbonate by simply baking it.  That converts it to sodium carbonate anhydrous.  If you eat baked goods like cake or pretzels, you have already eaten sodium carbonate.
Title: Re: Sodium Carbonate Question
Post by: Frank on June 25, 2016, 04:23:51 PM
It also says biodegradable and no petrochemicals, sorry I should of added this in the original post. It doesn't say it contains anything else apart from sodium carbonate decahydrate.
Title: Re: Sodium Carbonate Question
Post by: kephra on June 25, 2016, 05:03:02 PM
Its your call then.
Title: Re: Sodium Carbonate Question
Post by: cfnisbet on June 26, 2016, 07:08:00 PM
Where do you buy it from? If it's in the UK, it's safe to use.
Title: Re: Sodium Carbonate Question
Post by: Frank on June 26, 2016, 08:42:47 PM
I'm in Ireland the companies name is Dri-Pak they are from the UK, I've sent them an e-mail inquiring about the contents of their soda crystals hopefully they'll get back to me soon.
Title: Re: Sodium Carbonate Question
Post by: Frank on June 27, 2016, 11:30:17 AM
So they got back to me and it contains "Sodium Carbonate Decahydrate", "Magnesium Hydroxide",and "Silica". I'll leave a link here for future reference http://www.productingredients.net/brands/dri-pak/ (http://www.productingredients.net/brands/dri-pak/)
Title: Re: Sodium Carbonate Question
Post by: kephra on June 27, 2016, 12:03:54 PM
So its washing soda, milk of magnesia, and sand.  Nothing toxic, but the magnesia might interfere with you electrolysis.  The silica is probably an anti-caking agent to keep it from clumping up in the box.
Title: Re: Sodium Carbonate Question
Post by: Frank on June 27, 2016, 12:22:32 PM
So just to be safe I'd be better off getting the real thing, I don't have the use of an oven or microwave so cooking baking soda isn't an option for me http://www.ebay.ie/itm/250g-Sodium-carbonate-powder-soda-ash-PH-dye-fixative-/140503384210  (http://www.ebay.ie/itm/250g-Sodium-carbonate-powder-soda-ash-PH-dye-fixative-/140503384210)
Title: Re: Sodium Carbonate Question
Post by: kephra on June 27, 2016, 12:28:40 PM
Well, you can put baking soda in a stainless steel pot, and heat it on you cook stove.  You don't have to have an oven.  Heat it until a cold lid placed on the pot shows no condensation.  Then continue heating a few minutes more.
Title: Re: Sodium Carbonate Question
Post by: Frank on June 27, 2016, 12:34:11 PM
Thanks so much for all your help
Title: Re: Sodium Carbonate Question
Post by: cfnisbet on June 05, 2018, 04:23:07 PM
Thanks so much for all your help
I have just looked at the bag of Sodium Carbonate on my shelf. It's Dri-Pak.

Use it with confidence. It must show the ingredients in full, but judging by the appearance of the crstals, I would consider that the other ingredients are impurities at a level not much more than trace.

I have been using that bag of Dri-Pak Soda Crystals for years. It is still almost full.

Your call, but I'm not going to buy the laboratory grade. On the other hand, we use so little per litre that you might take the opposite view, that a small amount of lab grade Sodium Carbonate, though expensive, will be likely to last a lifetime.