Hydrocarbons

Other names: bicarbonates, hydrocarbons

Harm score: 2 (Derivatives of natural substances)

Hydrocarbonates, also known as bicarbonates or hydrocarbons, are specific salts of carbonic acid. They have unique chemical properties that make them widely used in various industrial and scientific applications. By their composition, bicarbonates contain hydrogen, carbon and oxygen. Their most commonly used form is sodium bicarbonate, which is known as baking soda or caustic soda.

Bicarbonates play an important role in many products and processes. In the food industry, baking soda is used as baking powder. In medicine, it finds application, for example, as a neutraliser of stomach acid in medicines to aid digestion. Furthermore, bicarbonates are used in the chemical industry in the manufacture of soap, glass and other products. As a component of cleaning and laundry detergents, it is used to remove unwanted odours and as a mild abrasive. In the water industry, bicarbonates play a role in stabilising the pH of water. These are just a few examples of their wide range of uses.