Adding a very small amount of baking soda to distilled water that has picked up some CO2 and formed carbonic acid is very interesting to analyze.
CO2 + H2O -> H2CO3 or carbonic acid NaHCO3 + H2CO3 -> NaOH + 2CO2 + H2O If you don't add enough bicarb to neutralize all the carbonic acid, then you can get this reaction as well: 2NaOH + H2CO3 = Na2CO3 + 2H2O but then sodium carbonate should react with carbonic acid as well producing: Na2CO3 + H2CO3 -> 2NaOH + 2CO2 Which puts us right back to the Sodium Hydroxide again. So unless I am mistaken, the smallest pinch possible of baking soda (or lye) would neutralize 100% of the carbonic acid in distilled water that has absorbed CO2, and as long as no more is added than is necessary to cause all the CO2 to be released, the effect will be a DECREASE in carbonate, not an increase. The sodium hydroxide acts as a catalyst to release CO2. I have put this question to some chemists for confirmation and should have a reply shortly. This appears to be a very interesting topic that needs more study. Marshall -- The Silver List is a moderated forum for discussing Colloidal Silver. Instructions for unsubscribing are posted at: http://silverlist.org To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com Address Off-Topic messages to: silver-off-topic-l...@eskimo.com The Silver List and Off Topic List archives are currently down... List maintainer: Mike Devour <mdev...@eskimo.com>
