Sodium Bisulfate: What It Is, Its Uses and More
What Is Sodium Bisulfate?
Sodium bisulfate is a dry, mineral acid used in a variety of applications. There are a number of synonyms for sodium bisulfate, such as sodium acid sulfate and sodium hydrogen sulfate. Regardless of the name you use, it is strong dry acid used to lower pH.
As a dry acid, sodium bisulfate is stable in a dry environment, but if added to water it will quickly dissolve. If exposed to a humid environment it will also absorb the moisture from the air (hygroscopic). When sodium bisulfate and a liquid are mixed, the pH of the liquid goes down.
Jones-Hamilton Co. began producing sodium bisulfate in 1955 and has since become the global leader in production and application development with unmatched expertise on all aspects of the product.
How Sodium Bisulfate is Made
In the simplest explanation, Jones-Hamilton produces sodium bisulfate by reacting sulfuric acid and sodium chloride (salt) at high temperatures in a continuous process. The quality of the raw materials and control of the manufacturing process results in high product integrity.
Safety of Sodium Bisulfate
Sodium bisulfate is known for its safety – in transportation, safety and handling. It is an EPA Safer Choice chemical that appears on the Safer Chemical Ingredient List (SICL) as an antimicrobial active effective 2015.
Where is Sodium Bisulfate Used?
Efficacy and safety are two key reasons sodium bisulfate is used in over 30 diverse applications.
Pools and Spas
For consumers, sodium bisulfate is a safe alternative to hazardous liquid acids for controlling the pH of water in pools and spas. Jones-Hamilton’s sodium bisulfate is NSF 60 approved for use in potable water, and can help maintain the proper pH for chlorine disinfection. Learn more
Surface Finishing
Globally, sodium bisulfate is used for surface preparation in the plating industry for applications such as industrial automotive or appliance parts, and activation of printed circuit boards (PCBs) prior to plating.
Animal Feed
Sodium bisulfate is used as an acidifier in poultry feed (AFG) and in pet food (Pet SBS) for feline urine acidification, preservation of liquid digests used for palatability, and for preservation of soft treats.
Cleaning Products
Dry products used for home and industrial cleaning commonly use sodium bisulfate for pH management and its antimicrobial properties.
Food Ingredients
Food manufacturers prefer sodium bisulfate for pH reduction because it is effective at a low addition rate and does not produce a sour taste. It can also be used in food processing for anti-browning and reducing other bacterial challenges.
Animal Agriculture
The pH reducing capabilities of sodium bisulfate makes it a highly valuable product in various aspects of animal agriculture including acidifying drinking water for poultry, eliminating ammonia in poultry litter and lowering the pH of footbath water for dairy cows.
How is sodium bisulfate sold?
Depending on the application, sodium bisulfate can be purchased from Jones-Hamilton in 50lb bags, 2 ton super sacks or bulk. Contact us to learn more.
OHIO
30354 Tracy Road Walbridge, Ohio 43465
SOUTH CAROLINA
4433 Richburg Road Richburg, South Carolina 29729
(888) 858-4425