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Cleaning Reagents for Special Obstinate Stains
The most common cleaning reagents for obstinate stains include
- Chromic acid
- Aquaregia
(i) Cleaning using chromic acids
Chromic acid is a very corrosive solution prepared by weighing out 10 g of sodium dichromate crystals, make it into a slurry with a few mls of water, then dissolve in 250mls conc. sulphuric acid with stirring and cooling (ice-bath), to give a thick syrupy dark brown mixture.
After preparation, fill the container with chromic acid solution and allow it to stand for an overnight, pour away the acid and thoroughly rinse the apparatus with distilled water and allow it to dry.
Burets and Pipettes should be left standing in chromic acid solution in a tall plastic cylinder.
(ii) Cleaning using Aquaregia
Aquaregia is prepare by mixing one part by volume of conc. Nitric acid with three (3) parts by volume of conc. Hydrochloric acid in a Pyrex beaker and allowing it to stand until a bright red color develops.
Aquaregia is used for removing organic stains.
- These reagents are very corrosive, fuming and poisonous, they must be prepared in a fume chamber and protective clothing must be worn when handling them