Hydrochloric Acid Muriatic Acid · HCl · 20° & 22° Baumé
The workhorse mineral acid of steel pickling and pH control — supplied to US buyers the way US plants order it, by the degree Baumé: 20° Bé at around 31% and 22° Bé at 35–36%, in technical and FCC grades.
Chelora Chemicals is a hydrochloric acid supplier and sourcing partner serving steel mills, water-treatment operators and chemical processors across the United States, with a batch COA and SDS on every consignment.
- CAS Number
- 7647-01-0
- EC Number
- 231-595-7
- IUPAC name
- Hydrogen chloride
- Molecular formula
- HCl
- Molecular weight
- 36.46 g/mol
- Baumé grades
- 20° Bé · 22° Bé
- Concentration
- 31% · 35–36% w/w
- UN Number
- UN 1789
- HS Code
- 2806 10
Note: hydrochloric acid is corrosive and fumes at commercial strength. It requires lined or resistant storage and transport equipment. Confirm exact classification and material compatibility for your shipment with your regulatory affairs team.
From brine to bulk hydrochloric acid
Hydrochloric acid reaches the US market by two routes — direct synthesis from chlor-alkali chlorine, and recovery as the by-product of aromatic chlorination. We supply both the acid and the chemistry around it.
Second route: HCl is recovered as the co-product when benzene is chlorinated to monochlorobenzene and the dichlorobenzenes · neutralization partner: caustic soda
What hydrochloric acid is used for
Hydrochloric acid — sold throughout US industry as muriatic acid — is a clear, colorless to pale yellow fuming liquid, a solution of hydrogen chloride gas in water. It is a strong mineral acid: fully dissociated in water, aggressive to most metals, and the cheapest route to a chloride ion at scale.
Its single largest industrial use is steel pickling, where it strips mill scale and oxide from hot-rolled strip before cold rolling or coating. Beyond that it is the default acid for pH control and effluent neutralization, for regenerating cation-exchange resins in demineralization plants, for calcium chloride manufacture, and as the chloride source in making metal chlorides and organic intermediates.
Hydrochloric acid grades we quote against
- 20° Baumé — around 31% HCl. The standard US commercial grade and the bulk of pickling and pH-control demand.
- 22° Baumé — 35 to 36% HCl. Higher strength where freight per unit of acid matters, or where the process wants a stronger feed.
- Technical and FCC grades. FCC to the Food Chemicals Codex for food-contact duty; technical grade for industrial service.
- Low-iron and low-chlorate specifications. Where the acid touches a product stream rather than a scale layer, or regenerates ion-exchange resin.
- Related mineral acids from the same desk: sulfuric acid and nitric acid.
Handling character
Hydrochloric acid is corrosive to skin, eyes and most metals, and releases an irritating mist at commercial strength. Full hazard detail is in the Safety section below.
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Clear, colorless to pale yellow liquid |
| HCl content | 31.0–33.0% w/w |
| Baumé | 20° Bé min (22° Bé grade available) |
| Free chlorine | 5 ppm max |
| Iron (Fe) | 5 ppm max (low-iron grade: 1 ppm) |
| Sulfate (SO₄) | 50 ppm max |
| Residue on ignition | 0.05% max |
Important: the figures above are indicative of commercial material and are offered for planning only. The batch certificate of analysis is the governing document.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Physical state | Fuming liquid, pungent odor |
| Molecular weight | 36.46 g/mol |
| Density (20° Bé) | ≈ 1.16 g/cm³ at 20 °C |
| Freezing point | ≈ −46 °C at 31% |
| Solubility | Miscible with water in all proportions |
| pH | < 1 (strongly acidic) |
| Vapor | Fumes at commercial strength |
Physical constants compiled from public reference data for CAS 7647-01-0 at commercial concentration and rounded for readability. Values move with Baumé strength and temperature — treat them as orientation, not as a specification.
Where US industry puts HCl to work
From mill-scale removal and oil-well acidizing to effluent neutralization, calcium chloride manufacture and chloride chemistry.
Steel pickling & metal finishing
Strips mill scale and oxide from hot-rolled strip before cold rolling, galvanizing or coating. The largest single use of the acid in the United States.
- 20° Bé commercial grade
- Bulk tanker and ISO tank
- Spent-liquor regeneration advice
pH control & water treatment
The default acid for correcting alkaline effluent and process water, in municipal and industrial treatment plants, and for pool pH reduction.
- Consistent Baumé lot to lot
- Low-iron grade where color matters
- Paired with caustic soda
Calcium chloride & chloride chemistry
The cheapest chloride source at scale — calcium and ferric chloride, amine hydrochlorides and organic chlorination.
- Feeds hydrochloride salts
- Technical grade to your assay
- Retained sample held against the lot
Ion-exchange regeneration
Regenerates cation resin in demineralization and condensate-polishing plants, where low iron and low chlorate matter.
- Low-iron specification available
- Scheduled bulk call-off
- Full analytical documentation
Oil-well acidizing & mineral processing
Dissolves carbonate rock to stimulate limestone and dolomite formations, usually as a 15–28% inhibited blend, and serves ore-leaching duty.
- Bulk tanker to field location
- Inhibitor compatibility noted
- Technical desk review on request
Food processing · FCC grade
FCC-grade acid for starch hydrolysis, gelatin production, biofuel processing and acidity regulation.
- Food Chemicals Codex specification
- Documented batch traceability
- Trial quantities for qualification
Delivered to US plants and ports
We ship hydrochloric acid to nominated delivery points across the United States. The regions below are destinations we serve — Chelora Chemicals is a sourcing and supply partner, not a US manufacturer, and does not hold US stock.
Gulf Coast
The largest US chemical cluster, and the usual entry point for bulk consignments.
- Houston & Galveston, TX
- New Orleans & Baton Rouge, LA
- Mobile, AL
Northeast
Container and bulk delivery into the mid-Atlantic and New England manufacturing belt.
- Newark & Elizabeth, NJ
- Philadelphia, PA
- Boston, MA
Southeast
Port-side delivery for the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida processing plants.
- Savannah, GA
- Charleston, SC
- Jacksonville, FL & Norfolk, VA
Midwest & Great Lakes
Inland rail and truck forwarding from the nearest coastal port to the industrial Midwest.
- Chicago, IL
- Detroit, MI
- Cleveland & Columbus, OH
West Coast
Pacific routing for West Coast processors and formulators.
- Los Angeles & Long Beach, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Seattle & Tacoma, WA
Southwest & Mountain
Inland delivery to interior states, forwarded from the Gulf or Pacific gateway.
- Dallas–Fort Worth, TX
- Phoenix, AZ
- Denver, CO
Importing into the United States
Hydrochloric acid is a TSCA-regulated chemical substance. Under TSCA section 13 the importer of record, or its authorized agent, must certify to US Customs and Border Protection that each shipment either complies with TSCA or is not subject to it. We confirm the substance's TSCA Inventory status and agree in writing who files that certification before the first consignment moves.
Which party carries that duty follows the Incoterm. On FOB, CFR or CIF terms it is usually the US buyer; on DDP terms it can be the seller or its agent. Safety data sheets and labels are supplied to OSHA's updated Hazard Communication Standard, and the UN 1789 Class 8 transport documentation is prepared before booking.
| Item | How it works |
|---|---|
| Delivery points | Any nominated US plant, terminal or port of discharge |
| Incoterms quoted | FOB · CFR · CIF · DDP |
| Importer of record | Agreed in writing before the first shipment |
| TSCA certification | Section 13 positive certification filed at entry |
| Documentation | Batch COA, SDS, packing list, certificate of origin |
| Pack formats | Jerricans, HDPE drums, totes or bulk tanker |
Note: regional coverage describes where we deliver, not where we hold inventory. Lead time depends on producer scheduling and ocean transit to your nominated US port — we confirm both in the quotation.
How we supply hydrochloric acid
Chelora Chemicals is a hydrochloric acid supplier and sourcing partner, not a manufacturer. With a commodity acid the variables that actually bite are Baumé consistency, iron and free chlorine, and whether the receiving equipment matches the acid — that shapes how we select producers on this line.
We place your order with whichever qualified producer best matches your required grade, your price point and your delivery window, and confirm US import requirements before booking.
We keep a second qualified source on this line, so a single-plant disruption never becomes your production problem.
- Baumé confirmed lot to lot. A pickling line tuned to 22° Bé behaves differently on 20° Bé, so we hold the strength band you specify.
- TSCA status and import certification settled first. We confirm Inventory status and agree who files the section 13 certification before the first shipment.
- UN 1789 documentation managed end to end. Class 8 classification, corrosive labeling and carrier compliance confirmed before booking.
- Equipment compatibility checked before we quote. Rubber-lined, FRP or PE — we confirm the pack and tanker lining suit your offloading point.
- One desk for the acid set. Order HCl alongside sulfuric acid, nitric acid and caustic soda — and move your spent sulfuric acid out through the same desk.
- Batch traceability to the producing plant. Full chain of custody documentation on request.
Drummed, toted or delivered in bulk
Jerricans, drums, totes or a rubber-lined road tanker — tell us your offloading arrangement and we will quote and classify to it.
35 kg HDPE jerricans
Small-volume packs for laboratory, pilot and low-consumption sites.
250 kg HDPE drums
Sealed, UN-approved plastic drums where a rigid stackable pack suits your store.
1000 L IBC totes
Intermediate bulk containers for plants consuming by the tote rather than the tanker.
Rubber-lined / FRP tanker
Bulk delivery to a receiving tank, for pickling lines and treatment plants on continuous draw.
Incoterms to suit you
Quoted on the Incoterm your purchasing team works to, with documentation filed before booking.
Trial / sample quantities
Small packs dispatched for process qualification before a commercial order is placed.
Corrosive and fuming — handle accordingly
Hydrochloric acid at commercial strength burns skin and eyes on contact, attacks most metals, and gives off an irritating mist. The summary below is orientation only — the safety data sheet supplied with your specific batch is the authoritative document.
Classified hazards
H290May be corrosive to metals.H314Causes severe skin burns and eye damage.H335May cause respiratory irritation.
Incompatibilities. Never mix hydrochloric acid with hypochlorite or other oxidizers — chlorine gas is released. Keep it away from cyanides, sulfides, carbonates and active metals, and from caustic soda except under controlled neutralization.
Storage
Store in lined or acid-resistant tanks, HDPE drums or FRP vessels in a cool, well-ventilated, bunded area away from oxidizers, alkalis and active metals. Vent to a scrubber where fume accumulation is possible, and keep incompatible acids separated.
Handling
Handle in closed transfer systems with local exhaust ventilation. Wear chemical goggles, a face shield, acid-resistant gloves and apron. Always add acid to water, never the reverse, and have an eyewash and safety shower within immediate reach of the transfer point.
Transport
Shipped as UN 1789, Hydrochloric acid, Class 8, Packing Group II. We confirm and document the exact classification, approved packaging or tanker lining and routing for your specific shipment and destination.
Every batch, documented
We verify documentation before dispatch so there are no surprises at your incoming-goods bench.
Specification agreed
Baumé band, iron, free chlorine and residue confirmed against your process requirement before order placement.
Producer batch testing
The producing plant tests each batch against the agreed specification before release.
Documentation review
COA, SDS, TSCA certification data and UN 1789 transport paperwork checked by our desk before the shipment is booked.
Traceable dispatch
Each shipment is traceable to its producing batch, with full chain-of-custody records on request.
How hydrochloric acid is made
Most commercial hydrochloric acid comes from one of two routes. In direct synthesis, chlorine and hydrogen from a chlor-alkali plant are burned together and the hydrogen chloride produced is absorbed into water — the route that gives the cleanest, lowest-iron acid and the one most FCC-grade material comes from.
The second route is recovery. When aromatics are chlorinated — benzene to monochlorobenzene and on to the dichlorobenzenes — one mole of HCl is liberated for every chlorine substituted. That by-product acid is scrubbed, stripped and sold, and it carries a different trace profile from synthetic acid.
Which route a lot came from matters when your process is sensitive to organics or iron, so we confirm the origin and the trace specification before quoting.
We do not publish operating process parameters here; this is background only. Full technical documentation accompanies every shipment, and any process-specific detail you need is best confirmed directly with our technical desk.
| Chemical family | Strong mineral acid (hydrohalic) |
|---|---|
| US commercial grades | 20° Baumé (31%) and 22° Baumé (35–36%) |
| Quality grades | Technical and FCC (Food Chemicals Codex) |
| Reactivity | Attacks most metals; neutralizes bases; forms chloride salts |
| Upstream | Chlor-alkali, aromatic chlorination |
| Sister acids | Sulfuric, nitric, chlorosulfonic |
| Downstream | Calcium chloride, amine hydrochlorides, pickling liquor |
The rest of the acid and alkali range
Mineral acids, the neutralization partner and the chlorination chemistry HCl comes out of — all supplied from the same desk.
Hydrochloric acid, answered
What is hydrochloric acid used for?
What is 20 degree Baume and 22 degree Baume hydrochloric acid?
What is the difference between hydrochloric acid and muriatic acid?
Do you supply FCC grade hydrochloric acid?
Is hydrochloric acid hazardous?
What packing do you offer?
What storage equipment does it need?
Do you supply hydrochloric acid in the United States?
Who is the importer of record for US shipments?
Do you manufacture this yourself?
Get a quote on hydrochloric acid
Send us your required Baumé grade, pack format, US delivery point and Incoterm. We will come back with a firm quote, lead time and full documentation — and can price the rest of the acid set in the same inquiry.