General information

Dissolving salts with acid residues from weak acids usually leads to alkaline solutions. Alkaline salts include sodium, lithium and potassium silicate. Sodium aluminate and sodium chlorite also produce alkaline solutions. The water-soluble sodium, potassium and lithium silicates or their aqueous solutions are referred to as water glasses. Depending on whether it mainly contains sodium, potassium or lithium silicates, one speaks of soda water glass, potassium water glass or lithium water glass.

When a water glass solution dries, water-insoluble silicic acid (silicification) is formed. The silicification of water glasses is irreversible and cannot be reversed by adding water.

Areas of application

The main area of ​​application for sodium hypochlorite solutions is bleaching or disinfecting (e.g. in swimming pools). Sodium hypochlorite solutions for water disinfection are also often referred to as liquid chlorine or chlorine liquid.

Due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, hand sanitizers with sodium hypochlorite are now on the market. The resulting smell of chlorine on the skin results from the chlorine or hypochlorous acid that is produced, which has an oxidizing effect on the skin and ultimately contributes to skin aging. Therefore, disinfectants with sodium hypochlorite are recommended as surface disinfectants, but not as hand disinfectants.

Sodium hypochlorite is also the main active ingredient in disinfecting and bleaching household cleaners. Various mold removers or pipe cleaners also contain sodium hypochlorite and are often advertised as containing active chlorine. Concentrations in household cleaners are around 5-7%, while concentrations in pool sanitizers are around 10-13%.

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