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How do we dispose of oxalic acid properly?

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trent
1st Mate

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USA
44 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/12/2004 : 13:20:59

I was reading on the back of the Cleaning Detail bottle and it says not to let it get into the water so do I just do small spots at once and sponge away?

What about what I'm left with? Who'll dispose of that?

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2004 : 15:21:54

Most communities have recycling centers that will handle 'household' chemicals.

Not sure what you're asking about... you have a bottle and want to know what to do with the portion you don't use... or you have some in a pan/sponge full and and want to dispose of that portion?

If it's the latter... Oxalic acid dilutes well in water and breaks down quickly... people who use it to clean their house decks just hose it off.

Edited by - on

trent
1st Mate

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USA
44 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2004 : 16:40:28

I was mainly wondering why the back of the product was very dire about not getting it into a body of water? Not that I want to polute but I don't believe Davis FSR has such a nasty warning.

I haven't used it yet but I was wondering what to do with the solution after cleaning with it since I assume I need to catch it in a bucket and do something with it.

Basically I don't wanna poison my lake...

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2004 : 18:37:46

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by trent
 I was mainly wondering why the back of the product was very dire about not getting it into a body of water? Not that I want to polute but I don't believe Davis FSR has such a nasty warning.

I haven't used it yet but I was wondering what to do with the solution after cleaning with it since I assume I need to catch it in a bucket and do something with it.

Basically I don't wanna poison my lake...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Reality and product lawyers have very little in common. Dump it. Personally I wish our lake was paved with chlorine in it.

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2004 : 18:51:09

Hey trent,
Thank you for not wanting to poison your lake. I wish more folks looked into proper ways to dispose of things. I had some chemicals to get rid of and called my county waste disposal office and they told me exactly what to do, bring it to them at their waste disposal place.
I have used Davis FSR, which is oxalic acid, and was unaware of any issues with it. I was using it on the boat in the driveway.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2004 : 20:36:42

I would say personal use quantities are irrelevant to the environment. The following basically says it is hard on soft tissues and irritating to skin. It does not cause cancer and biodegrades in water.

Toxicological Information

RTECS#:
CAS# 144-62-7: RO2450000
CAS# 6153-56-6 unlisted.
LD50/LC50:
CAS# 144-62-7:
Draize test, rabbit, eye: 250 ug/24H Severe;
Draize test, rabbit, skin: 500 mg/24H Mild;
Oral, rat: LD50 = 7500 mg/kg;
CAS# 6153-56-6:
Carcinogenicity:
CAS# 144-62-7: Not listed by ACGIH, IARC, NIOSH, NTP, or OSHA. CAS# 6153-56-6: Not listed by ACGIH, IARC, NIOSH, NTP, or OSHA.
Epidemiology: No information available.
Teratogenicity: No information found.
Reproductive Effects: Oxalic acid caused kidney damage in fetal sheep and rats and disturbed the estrus cycle in rats. Increased sperm abnormalities were seen in the second generation of mice administered 0.2% oxalic acid in the drinking water.
Neurotoxicity: No information available.
Mutagenicity: No information available.
Other Studies: Standard Draize Test: Administration onto the skin (rabbit) = 500 mg (Mild). Standard Draize test Administration into t he eye:250 ug/24H (Severe).

Ecological Information

Ecotoxicity: Fish: Bluegill/Sunfish: LC50 = 4000 mg/L; 24 Hr.; Static Conditions Mosquito Fish: LC50 = 1350 mg/L; 24 Hr.; Static Conditions No data available.
Environmental: An estimated Koc value of 5 for oxalic acid indicates high mobility in soil and oxalic acid has been detected in groundwater. Several screening studies and grab sample tests indicate that under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, oxalic acid will readily biodegrade in aquatic ecosystems. Based on an experimental Henry's Law constant of 1.4X10-10 atm-m3/mole at 25°C, oxalic acid is expected to be essentially nonvolatile from water. Adsorption to sediment and bioconcentration in aquatic organisms may not be important fate process for oxalic acid.
Physical: Oxalic acid in the ambient atmosphere may react slowly with OH radicals, but it is removed rapidly by photolysis; the daytime persistence of oxalic acid is not expected to exceed a few hours. Based on its high water solubility, removal from air via wet deposition is likely to occur. Oxalic acid may also be removed from air via dry deposition with 11% of the total deposition being dry deposition.
Other: Based on an average experimental water solubility of 220,000 mg/L at 25°C and a regression derived equation, the BCF for oxalic acid can be estimated to be approximately 0.6 and therefore should not be expected to bioconcentrate in aquatic organisms.

http://www.cloudnet.com/~djeans/Asides/OxalicAcid.htm

http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/o6044.htm

Edited by - on

oldsalt
Admiral

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USA
578 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2004 : 20:43:33

Apparantly, we should feed it to rats and mice.

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jwilliams
Captain

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USA
357 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2004 : 11:20:03

Uh, guys,

Check my logic: Oxalic acid is used to remove stains. It acts and combines with the stain chemicals. It doesn't react and fizz that I can see, like vinegar and baking soda (acid and base), but it must combine somehow. I've always neutralized acids by using a complementary base.

Doesn't that change the pH of the stuff and it's chemical composition?

Jim Williams
Hey Jude C25fk 2958
SF Bay

Edited by - on

Lowell
1st Mate

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USA
30 Posts

Response Posted - 07/14/2004 : 00:55:28

I'm glad to see that they dumped some into a rabbits eye just to see what would happen! It's acid! What do they think is going to happen? One of the best things about sailing is that it's easy on the enviroment. Why do we have to use harsh chemicals to clean with. Have you tried a stiff bristled brush and a little elbow grease? That's all I use on my teak. After it's dried I rub it down with natural orange oil and it looks great and it's safe.

Lowell Heenan
Dreamer 5655

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MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 07/14/2004 : 02:36:47

Trent,
I too applaude you for trying to find the right thing to do. With the overabundance of people on this planet if everyone just dumped stuff with out consent we would be even quicker at destroying the world. Not destroying it but making it less habitable. Look at the past when there was soo much uncontrolled dumping. Many of our lakes streams and rivers were unfit for human consumption, let alone all the animals and plants that were killed.
From what tox report that Frank posted, it probably is OK to not worry about it. But please everyone check and be sure.
It is an acid, but a weak one. That esentially means it will change the acidity, but is nuteralized easily and doesn't react very violently.
I usually wash my deck with water and a brush. If there is a stain on it I scrub a little harder or just pretend it isn't there.

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