Sodium bisulfate: uses, Produce method, and Regulation

Description

NaHSO4 is a sodium salt of the bisulfate anion with the chemical name Sodium bisulfate. It is also called Sodium acid sulfate, Bisulfate of soda, or Sodium hydrosulfate. Sodium acid sulfate is a dry granular compound that is white. It dissolves in water and is corrosive to tissues and metals. In its anhydrous form, it is hygroscopic. The solutions are acidic, with a pH value 1 for every 1M solution.

Produce method

At an industrial scale, Bisulfate of soda is obtained as an intermediate via the Mannheim process, which involves the reaction of sodium chloride (NaCl) and sulfuric acid (H2SO4):

NaCl + H2SO4 → HCl + NaHSO4

The above reaction is highly exothermic. The liquid NaHSO4 produced is sprayed and cooled to form a solid bead.

Uses

Sodium bisulfate has been used in various food matrices for pH reduction. Sodium bisulfate has also been used in the animal industry for inclusion in feeds to reduce enzyme activity in poultry feed and bacterial loads in the bedding of dairy cattle. The pet food industry has also utilized sodium bisulfate to reduce struvite formation in cats. Including sodium bisulfate in various animal feed matrices, including poultry by-product meal and meat and bone meal, effectively reduced microbial contamination[1]. Although this is not an exhaustive list of chemical additives capable of mitigating Salmonella or other biological hazards in animal feeds, it does give manufacturers an additional option to ensure finished product safety. In addition, sodium bisulfate is known to affect the stability of octreotide, a medication used to manage and treat acromegaly and thyrotrophinomas[2].

Regulation

When a chemical is used in pharmaceutical preparations, personal care products, or as a food additive, it is monitored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. When used for cleaning and industrial uses, it is monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

References

[1] Huss, A. et al. “Physical and Chemical Methods for the Reduction of Biological Hazards in Animal Feeds.” Food and Feed Safety Systems and Analysis 42 1 (2017): 0.

[2] Huss, A. et al. “Physical and Chemical Methods for the Reduction of Biological Hazards in Animal Feeds.” Food and Feed Safety Systems and Analysis 42 1 (2017): 0.