(ethaudioic) is a dibasic saturated carboxylic acid, which is a chemical substance in the form of colorless crystals, soluble in water, incompletely in diethyl and ethyl alcohol, insoluble in benzene, chloroform, and petroleum ether. Esters and salts of such acids are called oxalates. This chemical reagent belongs to strong organic acids, the melting point of which is -189.5 °C. In nature, in its free form, this chemical compound, as well as in the form of oxalates (esters and salts of oxalic acid) of potassium and calcium, is found in many plants: rhubarb, beans, spinach, nuts, soybeans. This acid is formed during oxalic acid fermentation. This type of acid was first obtained during the synthesis of cyanogen by the chemist Friedrich Wöhler (Germany, 1824).
Application of oxalic acid
Like any acid, oxalic acid, due to its unique properties, is used in the following industries:
- chemical (in the manufacture of plastics, dyes, inks, pyrotechnics);
- metallurgical (for cleaning metals from corrosion, oxides, scale, rust);
- textile and leather (as a mordant when dyeing silk and wool);
- beekeeping (for processing bees);
- household chemicals (included in many detergents and powders as a bleaching and disinfectant);
- analytical chemistry (precipitator of rare earth elements);
- microscopy (section bleach);
- cosmetology (whitening component for freckles);
- medicine and pharmacology;
- woodworking.
The importance of oxalic acid for the body
This chemical compound in the human body is an intermediate product that is excreted in the urine as calcium salts. When mineral metabolism is disrupted, salts of this acid take part in the formation of stones in the bladder and kidneys. This organic acid, found in raw vegetables, is very beneficial for our body. It easily combines with calcium and promotes its absorption. Oxalic acid in boiled vegetables has a negative impact on health, as it becomes inorganic. This leads to the binding of calcium, and as a result, to a lack of it in the bone tissue, which is the cause of its damage. The daily excretion of oxalic acid in urine in an adult is 20 mg, in children up to 1.29 mg/kg.
Precautionary measures
Oxalic acid is a flammable, highly toxic and poisonous chemical reagent, therefore only those laboratory employees who have undergone special training in observing safety measures are allowed to work with it:
- carry out work in special laboratory glassware. If the laboratory glassware is made of another material, the acid may react with it;
- to avoid contact of oxalic acid with the skin, respiratory tract, mucous membranes, all studies should be carried out: in rubber products (boots, rubberized aprons, examination gloves, nitrile gloves), protective equipment (gas mask or respirator, goggles), workwear;
- while using oxalic acid, it is prohibited to eat, drink, or smoke;
- after completing the work, wash your face and hands thoroughly with warm water and soap or a neutralizing agent (baking soda solution);
- transportation and storage of oxalic acid together with food products is prohibited;
- observe fire safety measures if there is a need to use heating devices.
You need to know that oxalic acid is a strong organic acid; consuming it in large quantities can cause irritation of the mucous membrane of the esophagus, intestines, stomach, skin and respiratory tract. If this chemical reagent enters the body, a burning sensation and bloody vomiting may occur. First aid in such situations is to rinse the affected area of skin with plenty of water. Acid should be stored in closed plastic packaging in a well-ventilated area on pallets.
Buy oxalic acid
You can buy oxalic acid, buy boric acid, buy citric acid, buy lactic acid, like any other chemical reagent, in the Moscow retail and wholesale chemical reagent store "Prime Chemicals Group". Our website has everything a modern scientific or industrial laboratory needs. By purchasing any product in our online store, you are purchasing a product with a quality certificate that meets all GOST standards at affordable prices and eliminates the possibility of purchasing a counterfeit.
“Prime Chemicals Group” is a guarantee of the quality of the products offered.
You can buy oxalic acid with delivery throughout the city and region at a profit!
The use of acids in everyday life is very common. Vinegar and lemon are especially popular. Less known is oxalic acid. In nature, this organic compound is found in some plants, such as sorrel, rhubarb, and spinach. This acid is necessary for the body. But with an excess of its salts (oxalates), health problems arise.
In addition to organic, there is oxalic acid, which is produced industrially. It can be widely used in the household sphere. But this is a fairly toxic substance, the use of which requires compliance with safety measures.
Description of oxalic acid
This is an organic compound found in food products. It is thanks to her that they have a sour taste. The synthesis of oxalic acid was first carried out by the German Friedrich Wöhler in 1824. It is a colorless, odorless, crystalline substance. Oxalic acid is partially soluble in ethanol and water.
People who have encountered kidney stones know about oxalic acid salts - oxalates. If they are present, doctors recommend limiting the consumption of foods with this acid. This is a chemical reagent that begins to melt only at a temperature of -189.5 °C. It is widely used for industrial purposes, but it can also be useful in everyday life.
Security measures
Oxalic acid is a toxic, flammable substance. Therefore, its use must be strictly regulated.
You need to use acid according to the following recommendations:
- Protect skin and mucous membranes with rubber gloves, a respirator, and goggles.
- Do not eat or smoke while working with the substance.
- After finishing work, thoroughly wash your face and hands with soap or neutralize with soda solution.
- Do not store the product near food.
- The storage location must be well ventilated, the packaging must be sealed and moisture-proof.
If this substance does get on the skin and respiratory tract, irritation, burning, and vomiting occurs. You should immediately rinse your skin thoroughly with water.
Use in everyday life
Although oxalic acid has not gained such popularity in home use as, for example, acetic or citric acid, it is effectively used in some cases:
- water softening;
- as an insecticide in beekeeping;
- fabric dyeing;
- bleaching and disinfection of surfaces.
On a note! Oxalic acid can often be found in various pipe cleaners and detergents. The product effectively removes rust. To prepare the solution, add 1 teaspoon of the substance to 1 liter of water.
Wood bleaching
When renovating or building a house, it is recommended to bleach wood surfaces before painting. After this, the paint spreads more evenly onto the wood. Prepare a 10% oxalic acid solution. Apply to a wooden surface that must first be treated with sodium hydrosulfite. After 5 minutes, rinse off the product with clean water. To speed up the process, you can prepare a mixture of 20 parts sulfuric acid, 15 parts oxalic acid, 10 parts hydrogen peroxide and 1000 parts water.
Application in beekeeping
A solution with oxalic acid can be prepared in 2 ways:
- Mix ½ glass of water, 100 g of sugar, 7 g of oxalic acid. Fill the inter-frame space with the solution (5 ml per hive).
- Prepare 20% sugar syrup. Add acid to it to get a concentration of 3.7%.
Carry out the treatment once. A solution of oxalic acid is not inferior in effectiveness to bivar and bipin against varroatosis.
Restoration of objects
Acid can effectively clean copper, zinc, iron surfaces, as well as their alloys. It is necessary to dilute 50 g of the substance in 1 liter of water. Place items that need cleaning into the warm solution for 20-30 minutes. Then keep it in a cold solution for several more days.
On the page, read the information on how to grow a seedling from an apricot seed and how to care for it.
Water softening
Do not water plants with hard water. The presence of calcium and magnesium salts negatively affects their development. To water, you need to dissolve 10 g of oxalic acid in 1 liter of water. The salts will settle within 24 hours, and clean water can be poured into another container.
Harm to health
The product is potentially dangerous and toxic to the body if used incorrectly. If it comes into contact with the skin, it causes burns, burning, and irritation. Even low concentrated acid causes irritation upon prolonged contact.
If the substance is accidentally ingested, the following symptoms may occur:
- difficulty breathing;
- convulsions;
- vomit;
- kidney damage;
- hypocalcemia;
- stomach ache.
Prolonged contact with the skin causes cyanosis and gangrenous changes.
Oxalic acid is a potent agent that requires very careful handling. More often it is used for industrial purposes, but in some cases it can be used in everyday life. Main: observe all safety measures so as not to harm your health.
This substance is often found in nature in the form of amides, salts, free isomers, and esters. Another name for the element is ethanedioic acid; it was discovered at the beginning of the 19th century and the question of the benefits and harms of the element is still relevant. Most of the properties have a positive effect, but sometimes negative processes can be provoked.
What is oxalic acid
The element was first synthesized in 1824 by Friedrich Wöhler. Oxalic acid is an element, which among scientists is also called ethanedioic acid, belongs to the category of organic (dibasic) acids. In nature, the substance can be found in the form of potassium and calcium oxalates or in the free state. The substance has found wide application in everyday life, science, the food industry, and agriculture and is found in many products that people consume every day.
Oxalic acid formula
The discovery of this substance greatly influenced all organic chemistry and made it possible to make new discoveries. Salts of oxalic acid are called oxalates. They are divided into molecular, acidic, and medium. Most of them do not dissolve in water, but if you use pure acid, it mixes easily with it. Of the oxalates, only alkali metal and magnesium salts can interact with liquid. The structural formula of the substance is as follows: NOOCCOOH.
Preparation of oxalic acid
The extraction of this substance is usually necessary for industrial, domestic or scientific purposes. Oxalic acid is produced by the oxidation of sugar with nitric acid in the presence of a catalyst for the reaction of vanadium pentoxide. Below will also be a list of which foods contain oxalates; they are also found in all plants. The following obtaining methods are used:
- Carrying out the oxidation of glycols, carbohydrates, alcohols using sulfuric acid in the presence of V2O5.
- In the presence of Pd(No3)2 or PdCl2, oxidation of ethylene or nitric acid.
- Sodium formate intermediate is prepared from carbon monoxide and sodium hydroxide. When heated, it produces sodium oxalate, which releases oxalic acid in an acidified state.
Properties of oxalic acid
The discovery of this element influenced many areas, from its use in everyday life to beekeeping. The salt of oxalic acid has both chemical and physical properties. Each of them can be used to achieve specific goals in the textile industry, chemical production, and food industry. The following properties of the substance are distinguished:
- Physical. It is a hygroscopic, crystalline, colorless substance. Can partially dissolve in ethanol (alcohol), water and is odorless.
- Chemical. There is a peculiarity of dicarboxylic acids - they mutually influence each other, which facilitates the dissociation process. Oxalic acid is one of the strongest acids of this type, significantly superior in strength to its homologues.
Application of oxalic acid
The most popular uses of this substance are bleaching and cleaning. The use of oxalic acid helps remove rust, which is why most bleach/detergents contain this chemical. Widely used to soften and purify water, is included in cleaning products for sinks and toilets, and has a disinfecting effect. About 25% of the production is used as a dyeing agent in textile and leather industries. The acid can be used as a reagent for analytical chemistry.
- amenorrhea;
- infertility;
- bleeding;
- migraines;
- atypical menopause;
- helminthic infestations;
- sluggish bowel;
- chronic tuberculosis;
- sinusitis, sinusitis;
- impotence;
- intestinal infections;
- rheumatic pain;
- chlamydia, trichomoniasis.
We should not forget that excessive consumption can lead to disruption of the calcium absorption process. For this reason, oxalate stones can form inside the organs of the genitourinary system. Harmful formations pass through the urinary ducts, turning black due to blood, injuring the mucous membrane. This leads to acute pain in the back, groin, abdominal cavity, and changes in the color of urine. An overdose of a substance can cause:
- dizziness;
- weakness;
- pain in the stomach;
- stomach upset;
- burning of the throat, mouth, sinuses;
- nausea.
What products contain
There are two options for obtaining the element - synthetic and through the destruction of wood. There are also products containing oxalic acid, which many people use daily in their menu. The percentage of the element is relatively low, so an overdose is extremely unlikely and it does not pose a danger. The content varies, below is a list of which foods contain more than 10 mg of acid per 0.5 cup.
- rhubarb;
- zucchini;
- spinach;
- carambola;
- beet tops;
- strong tea;
- gooseberry;
- spinach;
- draft beer;
- beans;
- salad;
- orange, lime, lemon;
- instant coffee;
- sorrel;
- figs;
- chicory;
- leek;
- strawberry;
- tomatoes;
- butter dough;
- Red Ribes;
- wheat bran;
- green vegetables;
- parsley.
Video: treating bees with oxalic acid
Attention! The information presented in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials in the article do not encourage self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and give treatment recommendations based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.
Found an error in the text? Select it, press Ctrl + Enter and we will fix everything!The varroa mite not only sucks blood from bees and infects the brood, but is also a carrier of viral diseases. It mutates along with viruses and adapts to many acaricidal drugs. And if previously bees were treated only in the fall, now they are treated several times in the spring and summer. Oxalic acid has proven itself well in the fight against ticks.
It goes on sale in the form of a crystallized white powder. In beekeeping, the product is used in two ways:
- preparing an aqueous solution and spraying;
- sublimation of powder and steam treatment.
Practical application in the form of distillation and irrigation has shown that the efficiency of steam treatment is 93%, irrigation - 80%.
The instructions for oxalic acid provide breeding schemes and proportions depending on the number of bee colonies and their strength.
The acid dissolves in warm water with the addition of sugar or powdered sugar. Experts believe that a solution with sugar sticks better to bees. Dilution in cold water with further heating to 30ºC is also permissible.
It was experimentally determined that the most effective against varroa mites is a 2% solution prepared from 20 g of powder and 1 liter of water. The treatment solution must always be fresh. After just 2 days it becomes unusable and even dangerous for bees.
Spray technique:
- Honeycombs with beebread and filled with honey are removed from the hive so that the location of the bees is more crowded.
- The uterus is isolated.
- Take out each frame with bees and spray it from a sprayer from a distance of 30–40 cm and at an angle of 45º.
- In multi-hull hives, spraying begins from the lower sector.
The sprayer can be mechanical or with electric air pumping.
On average, processing one frame consumes 10−12 ml of solution. A prerequisite is dry weather with an air temperature of at least +16ºC.
How effective the result of spraying will be depends on the size of the droplets: the smaller they are, the better.
Evaporation method
Another way to use oxalic acid against ticks is sublimation. When heated, the powder turns into steam, which has a detrimental effect on the varroa mite.
Oxalic acid vapor is introduced through the lower taphole. In windy weather, the hive is sealed before the procedure.
The condition for steam treatment is air temperature not lower than +10ºC. Therefore, work can begin in early spring, while ticks have not yet begun to reproduce. The interval between procedures is the same as for spraying (1–2 weeks). It is better to use acid smoke in the evening, when all the bees have returned to the hive.
If brood is available, fumigation is carried out within 4 days. On the first day, 4 portions are administered: 2 immediately, 2 after 10 minutes. Then break for a day and re-fumigate again, and so on 4 times.
Warm smoke penetrates the cells with bee products. Acid molecules are able to absorb water from the air, which settles on the surface of the cells. A large amount of moisture leads to the formation of mold, souring of honey and disruption of the microclimate of bees. Therefore, if the area where the apiary is located is characterized by high humidity, treatment in the fall is not recommended.
Fumigation tools
Treatment of bees against varroa mites is carried out using homemade devices or a factory-made smoke gun. The principle of their operation is the same:
- 2 g is poured into the evaporator compartment. acids (calculated for 10–12 frames);
- the compartment itself and the outlet tube through which the vapors will flow are heated;
- the tube is inserted into the lower tap hole, where smoke is supplied under pressure.
The smoke cannon works like a smoker, but with a more advanced design.
Main elements of the device:
- flask;
- a heating element;
- container for liquid.
The principle of operation of the gun is simple:
- the gas burner turns on;
- the lever delivers a solution, which, passing through the tube, heats up and turns into smoke (with one press of the lever, 1 ml of solution enters the tube);
- The tube is inserted into the tap hole and five portions of smoke are supplied.
You can make an evaporator yourself, focusing on the design of a factory smoke gun. But more often beekeepers adapt simpler, available means for these purposes.
Here are some of them:
1. A smoker with a long tube and a metal can for powder placed in it.
2. A soldering iron, the tip of which is riveted to a thin plate, and then a mold is made from it for powder or a teaspoon is attached. This option is possible in an electrified apiary.
Acid absorbs moisture well; it cannot be stored either in open packaging or in transparent containers, or in direct sunlight. Under such conditions, it loses its properties 3–4 times.
During the active season, treatment with oxalic acid is carried out at least 5 times. The first time in the spring after the first flight of bees. Then, the degree of infection is examined based on the number of dead ticks, and if necessary, the treatment is repeated after 1–2 weeks.
In the period after pumping out the honey and before the start of feeding the bees, the fight against mites is carried out 2 times with the same interval. In autumn, the procedure is carried out after the bees emerge from the brood. This will ensure a healthy growth of young bees.
Due to the ability of the varroa mite to adapt to the components of the substance, and also due to the fact that bees have reduced immunity from increased acidity in the nest, the use of oxalic acid is limited to 2-3 years in a row. 
Treatment with oxalic acid is unacceptable if there is foulbrood or ascospherosis (fungal disease) in the nest.
Precautionary measures
- Before working with oxalic acid, you must undergo special training.
- When processing bees, protective equipment is used: a rubberized apron, gloves, goggles, boots, and a respirator.
- It is prohibited to eat or smoke while working.
- After finishing work, you should remove all protective equipment, wash your hands and face with warm water and soap. If acid accidentally comes into contact with the skin, it should be immediately washed off with water and neutralized with a soda solution.
- It is prohibited to transport and store acid together with food.
Hi all!
What do you think of my story about doctors in the previous article? What do you think about this?
In general, for some reason, life often confronts me with such misunderstandings.
I remember when I moved from Kurchatov to Ust-Kamenogorsk, I went to the Public Service Center (PSC) to register, where the operator started filling out a form for me and got to education. When asked what my degree was, I answered “analytical chemist.”
The poor girl operator (she looked about 18 years old, no more) had square eyes and she asked almost in a whisper: “And this means a chemistry teacher, right?” After all the ordeals with the apartment and registration, I didn’t care anymore, so I nodded: “Yes, write, chemistry teacher.”
It’s bad to have a little-known profession
And after this short digression, I return to the most interesting chemical substances that I recently started talking about - acids.
I have already talked about lemon and acetylsalicylic acid.
Today we will talk about what oxalic acid is: use in everyday life, properties, precautions when working with it. Or do you think you don't need it because you don't encounter it anywhere?
In vain. Let's get a look.
It is an organic acid that occurs naturally in some plants. Most of it is found in sorrel, spinach and rhubarb. This is what gives them their sour taste. Oddly enough, there is a lot of it in chocolate, beets and strong black tea.
Salts of oxalic acid are called oxalates.
I think you have heard this word often, especially those who have problems with salt deposition in joints or kidney stones - these are insoluble calcium oxalates. That is why during treatment, doctors recommend reducing the consumption of foods that contain a lot of oxalic acid.
Natural compounds of oxalic acid are most often potassium oxalates.
Interestingly, oxalic acid played a significant role in the development of organic chemistry as a science.
The fact is that at the beginning of the 19th century, scientists clearly divided all substances into so-called mineral and organic.
Moreover, the former could only exist in living organisms, and the latter, respectively, in inanimate objects.
And in 1824, the German chemist Friedrich Wöhler destroyed these ideas by obtaining an organic substance (oxalic acid) from inorganic substances.
Well, after that similar discoveries came one after another. As a result, scientists came to the conclusion that there is no gap between inorganic and organic substances; the same laws apply to all of them.
Here is an interesting substance - this oxalic acid or “sorrel”, as chemists in laboratories call it, often using it to prepare mixtures for washing chemical dishes.
Application
Needless to say, it is huge:
- for the production of food additives,
- in cosmetology - as a whitening component in creams.
- to reduce water hardness and to clean it from impurities,
- as an insecticide, it is especially in demand among beekeepers,
- for tanning leather, as well as for dyeing natural silk and wool fabrics,
- the industrial synthesis of dyes and plastics is also not complete without its participation.
Well, in everyday life its main use is as a component of detergents as a bleaching and disinfectant substance.
The most common application is rust removal.
Moreover, this property of oxalic acid to easily deal with rust is valid for plumbing fixtures, metal parts, and even rust stains on clothes.
Once upon a time, one of my colleagues hung his white sweater to dry on the radiator and did not notice that there were streaks of rust on it. As a result, there were rust stains on the sweater.
I was working in a laboratory at the time, and we gave him some oxalic acid, with which he saved his clothes.
Nowadays, it is difficult to find and buy pure oxalic acid, at least here in Kazakhstan, but it can easily be found in a variety of powders for cleaning pipes, detergents, and also Antiscale.
By the way, while I was writing, they told me that it can be found in stores for beekeepers and in veterinary stores.
Well, how to use it? Easily. Dissolve a teaspoon with a liter of warm water - and the anti-rust solution is ready.
Just don't forget about precautions! This substance belongs to the second class of danger - it irritates the upper respiratory tract and has a pronounced irritant effect on the skin and mucous membranes.
Moreover, this applies not only to the acid itself, but also to its salts. In addition, its dust is a fire hazard.
Organic and inorganic oxalic acid
And now - what caused my great bewilderment, and then indignation. When I was looking for material for this article, I rummaged through a lot of reference and specialized literature, both in paper and electronic form, and also tried to search for information on the Internet. I say “tried” because in almost every second article I came across such horror... I don’t even know what words to describe it.
Judge for yourself, here is a screenshot of part of the article on one of these sites:
How about this:
How can organic oxalic acid suddenly turn into inorganic acid?! What nonsense! A substance is always one; if some chemical transformations occur with it, then it turns into another substance, which will have a different name, have a different structure and other properties.
But such a thing does not happen that a substance suddenly undergoes some kind of chemical transformation and remains itself!
And organic calcium is synonymous with white soot! There is no such thing as organic calcium.
I was especially pleased with the “destruction of calcium” that occurs during food processing. Is it, by any chance, processed in a nuclear reactor?
After all, only nuclear reactions can destroy any chemical element.
In short, if you see a site like this, run away from it as fast as you can. Their authors are illiterate and stupid. They are illiterate because they do not know a basic school chemistry course, and they are stupid because they copy such nonsense from each other without even thinking about what they are writing.
And no Vikium will help them.
It’s like in the article about water with a “living active medium”, which I already wrote about.
Accordingly, the big question is whether you can trust advice from such sites. If you want, try it, risk your health. But I won't.
By the way, here is an interesting video that amazed me no less than these sites:
Good luck to everyone and have a good working week!
Natalya Bryantseva
Oxalic acid (ethanedioic acid)
Oxalic acid
- are colorless monoclinic hygroscopic crystals, easily soluble in water, limited - in ethyl alcohol and diethyl ether, insoluble in chloroform, petroleum ether and benzene.
Oxalic acid is a dibasic saturated carboxylic acid.
Belongs to strong organic acids. It has all the chemical properties characteristic of carboxylic acids. Salts and esters of oxalic acid are called oxalates.
Oxalic acid forms acidic and medium esters, amides, and acid chloride.
In nature it is found in sorrel, rhubarb and some other plants in free form and in the form of potassium and calcium oxalates.
Density 1.36 g/cm³.
Melting point - 189.5° C, sublimation temperature - 125° C, decomposition temperature - 100-130° C, decarboxylation temperature - 166-180° C.
Chemical formula: C2H2O4
Use of oxalic acid.
— in the chemical industry (organic synthesis, in the production of plastics, inks, in the synthesis of dyes, as a component of pyrotechnic compositions);
- in chemical metallurgy (as a component of compositions for cleaning metals from rust, scale, oxides); - in analytical chemistry (as a precipitant for rare earth elements);
— in microscopy (as a section bleach);
- in the textile and leather industry (mordant in calico printing and in dyeing wool and silk, in leather tanning);
— in the production of synthetic detergents (as a bleaching and disinfectant, a means for cleaning and removing urinary stones, hardness salts and rust);
— in cosmetics (as an active additive in whitening creams and freckle creams);
— in water purification systems (chemical method of purification and reduction of water hardness, purification of coolants at nuclear power plants);
- in medicine and pharmaceuticals.
Physico-chemical characteristics of oxalic acid:
Safety requirements.
Oxalic acid is a flammable substance; in the settled state, oxalic acid dust is fire hazardous; in terms of the degree of impact on the body, it belongs to substances of the 2nd hazard class.
It has a strong irritant effect on the skin, mucous membranes of the eyes and upper respiratory tract.
