[Jewelry making - Article 01540] - Re: [Orchid] Safe pickle?

[Helen Hill]

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Dear Margaret,

>     that's sodium bisulphate, not sodium bisulphite. The later is an
>     alkali that will raise, not lower the pH. 

    What are you saying is sodium bisulphate? I think you've misread what
    I said. I did some research into it as a number of people use pH down
    as a pickle and some use Sparex 2. I am saying that ph down is sodium
    bisulphite which is born out by everything I read when researching it
    and that Sparex 2 is sodium bisulphate. The MSDS sheets back this up.
    Also, the active ingredient in pH down becomes the active ingredient
    in Sparex 2 when in contact with air. Even if it didn't, the much
    cheaper, more readily available pH down seems to be just as effective
    a pickle as Sparex 2 by all accounts of those who use it. 

    pH is a relative thing. The product called pH down or similar,
    whether it's an acid or an alkali, it depends where you are starting
    on the pH scale. If it didn't reduce the pH, it wouldn't be called pH
    down so it obviously has a lower pH value than what it is trying to
    reduce the pH of, if that makes sense. You can't just say that
    because it's an alkali, it will raise the pH, yes if we were talking
    about just pure water at pH 7 or an acidic solution, that would be
    the case but in the case of swimming pools, which are very alkaline
    (alkaline is anything from 8-14), it will lower the pH as long as it
    has a lower pH number but it can still be alkaline itself. I have a
    first class degree in chemistry so have a fair understanding of the
    pH scale. 

Helen Hill
Preston, UK
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