What You Need to Know About Hydrogen Carbonate: Properties, Use, and Benefits
Summary
Hydrogen carbonate, also called bicarbonate, is an acid salt formed from carbonic acid and contains hydrogen carbonate ions. Hydrogen carbonate is a commonly used chemical reagent.- Author Name: Tylor
- What is hydrogen carbonate?
Hydrogen carbonate, also called bicarbonate, is an acid salt formed from carbonic acid and contains hydrogen carbonate ions. Most hydrogen carbonates are thermally unstable and decompose into carbonates, carbon dioxide and water. Alkali metal hydrogen carbonate is soluble in water, and it can react with acid rapidly to release carbon dioxide gas, and the corresponding normal salt carbonate can be obtained by adding alkali.
Common hydrogen carbonates are soluble in water. Such as: potassium bicarbonate, sodium bicarbonate, calcium bicarbonate, and other bicarbonates are soluble.
- What are hydrogen carbonate applications?
Hydrogen carbonate is a commonly used chemical reagent. Some common soluble hydrogen carbonate can undergo the following chemical reactions:
1. Reaction with acid
(HCO3)- + H+ = CO2 ↑+ H2O
2. Reaction with base
(HCO3)- + OH- = (CO3)2- +H2O
3. Double hydrolysis with salts of strong acids and weak bases
3(HCO3)- + Al3+ = Al(OH)3 + 3CO2↑
4. Thermal decomposition
2NaHCO3 = Na2CO3 + H2O +CO2↑
In medicine, hydrogen carbonate also has many applications. For example, sodium bicarbonate is used to treat hyperacidity, relieve metabolic acidosis, and prevent uric acid kidney stones. At the same time, hydrogen carbonate also plays a very important role in physiology. The blood contains a buffer solution composed of H2CO3-HCO3− to resist large pH changes and maintain a suitable pH for enzymes and other biomolecules.
- How are hydrogen carbonate and carbonate related?
Structurally speaking, hydrogen carbonate and carbonate contain HCO3- ions, while the other contains CO32−. But they have similar chemical properties, for example, both can react with hydrochloric acid to produce the same substances, water and carbon dioxide. But carbonates are generally less soluble than hydrogen carbonates. Water-insoluble carbonates are generally decomposed by heat, such as CaCO3 can be decomposed by heat, and water-soluble hydrogen carbonates are easily decomposed by heat. For example, NaHCO3 and Ca(HCO3)2 can be decomposed by heat.
- Common hydrogen carbonate
Sodium hydrogen carbonate is one of common hydrogen carbonate. Common name for sodium hydrogen carbonate includes baking soda, heavy cassia, etc. It is a white fine crystal. Sodium hydrogen carbonate is an acid salt formed by neutralizing a strong base and a weak acid. It is weakly alkaline when dissolved in water. It begins to decompose gradually above 127°C to form sodium carbonate, carbon dioxide and water, and completely decomposes at 270°C. Therefore, this characteristic is often used as a leavening agent in the process of food production.
Ammonium bicarbonate is a white compound with a chemical formula of NH4HCO3, which is in the form of granular, plate or columnar crystals. Ammonium bicarbonate can be used as a nitrogen fertilizer, and can simultaneously provide ammonium nitrogen and carbon dioxide required for crop growth. It can be used as analytical reagent, food expansion agent and leavening agent. Ammonium bicarbonate is also widely used in the plastics and rubber industry, pottery making, chrome tanning and synthetic catalysts.
Magnesium bis(hydrogen carbonate)
The molecular formula of magnesium bis(hydrogen carbonate) is Mg(HCO3)2, which is soluble in water. Magnesium bis(hydrogen carbonate) can be used in the pharmaceutical industry to treat diseases such as gastric and duodenal ulcers. It can also be used as a food additive.
