Sulfuric acid (H2S04) is a corrosive substance that is destructive to the skin, eyes, teeth, and lungs. Severe exposure can cause death. Workers may be injured by exposure to sulfuric acid.
Sulfuric acid (US spelling and IUPAC preferred name) or sulfuric acid (Commonwealth spelling), known in ancient times as sulphate oil, is an inorganic acid composed of the elements sulfur, oxygen, and hydrogen and has the molecular formula H2SO4. It is a colorless, odorless, viscous liquid that is miscible with water. [6]
Pure sulfuric acid does not occur naturally on Earth due to its strong affinity for water vapor; it is hygroscopic and readily absorbs water vapor from the air. [6] Concentrated sulfuric acid is highly corrosive to other materials ranging from rocks to metals because it is an oxidizing agent with powerful dehydrating properties. Phosphorus pentoxide is a notable exception as it is not dehydrated by sulfuric acid but conversely dehydrates sulfuric acid to sulfur trioxide. When sulfuric acid is added to water, a considerable amount of heat is released; therefore, the reverse process of adding water to acid should not be performed, as the heat released may boil the solution, ejecting hot acid droplets in the process. On contact with body tissue, sulfuric acid can cause severe acidic chemical burns and even secondary thermal burns due to dehydration. [7][8] Dilute sulfuric acid, without its oxidizing and dehydrating properties, is much less harmful; however, its acidity should still be handled with care.
Sulfuric acid is a very important commodity chemical, and a country's sulfuric acid production is a good indicator of its industrial strength. [9] [Non-primary source required] It is widely produced by different methods such as contact method, wet sulfuric acid process, lead chamber process and some others. [10] Sulfuric acid is also a key substance in the chemical industry. It is most commonly used in fertilizer manufacturing,[11] but is also important in mineral processing, oil refining, wastewater treatment, and chemical synthesis. It has a wide range of end uses including household acid drain cleaners,[12] as an electrolyte in lead-acid batteries, compound dehydration, and various cleaners. Sulfuric acid can be obtained by dissolving sulfur trioxide in water.
Sulfuric acid grade?