Citric Acid/Ascorbic Acid

Captain_Starlight

Hi, All!

Need to buy citric acid to make fizzy bath salts, but can't get hold of it. From posts left in 2006 it seems that CA is one of the constituents of home-made bombs, which would explain its disappearance from shop shelves.

I've just checked out the difference between Citric Acid and Ascorbic Acid, and the chemical formula for CA is C6 H8 O7, whereas the AA formula is C6 H8 O6 ... so one oxygen molecule less.

If there's a chemist out there who can tell me whether or not the one missing oxygen molecule would make a whole lot of difference in a handful of fizzy bath salts, Thank You!

(Just checked out the web, which I should have done earlier, and it is possible to get hold of citric acid as long as you can explain why you need it or want it. I just happen to have a lot of ascorbic acid in stock, since we make our own bread ... )

geordie_joe

Captain_Starlight wrote: »

Hi, All!

Need to buy citric acid to make fizzy bath salts, but can't get hold of it. From posts left in 2006 it seems that CA is one of the constituents of home-made bombs, which would explain its disappearance from shop shelves.

(Just checked out the web, which I should have done earlier, and it is possible to get hold of citric acid as long as you can explain why you need it or want it. )

Are bombers really honest enough to say why they need it :rotfl:

Seakay

The only problem with using ascorbic acid is that it can make the bath bombs/bath salts discolour
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/990329m.cfm

I was told that citric acid was being taken off the shelves because it was used to cut heroin. Don't follow the logic myself but there you are.

It is possible to buy it in some Asian grocery stores, or online on soap making supplies sites.

I think that Ascorbic acid will be fine, especially if you are making salts rather than bombs because less liquid involved - using it might even add benefits for the bather as Vit C is supposed to be good for the skin.

Butterfly_Brain

Wilkinsons still sell it but only in small amounts on the Home Brewing section. My first port of call would be to my local chemist
Amazon do 500g for £3.95
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bigger-Jugs-Citric-Acid-500g/dp/B002C9909O

Captain_Starlight

geordie_joe wrote: »

Are bombers really honest enough to say why they need it :rotfl:

Yeah ... that would work, wouldn't it?! "Yeah, like, I've got this recipe ... "!!:rolleyes:

Captain_Starlight

Seakay wrote: »

The only problem with using ascorbic acid is that it can make the bath bombs/bath salts discolour
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/990329m.cfm

I was told that citric acid was being taken off the shelves because it was used to cut heroin. Don't follow the logic myself but there you are.

It is possible to buy it in some Asian grocery stores, or online on soap making supplies sites.

I think that Ascorbic acid will be fine, especially if you are making salts rather than bombs because less liquid involved - using it might even add benefits for the bather as Vit C is supposed to be good for the skin.

Thank you so much, Seakay ... I'll try it, and post the results back. There's very little liquid involved in bath salts: colour and fragrance, but it could be time dependent, couldn't it?

Captain_Starlight

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

Wilkinsons still sell it but only in small amounts on the Home Brewing section. My first port of call would be to my local chemist
Amazon do 500g for £3.95
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bigger-Jugs-Citric-Acid-500g/dp/B002C9909O

Thank you, Butterfly Brain (suspect that's far from the truth!) Will log on to Amazon as soon as I've posted this ... !

maryb

I wanted some for descaling the kettle but none of the local chemists will stock it or even order it. One said to me that if any of the druggies got so much of a hint that they ever had any in stock they would get no peace

geordie_joe

maryb wrote: »

I wanted some for descaling the kettle

Just use vinegar, does the same job.

Penelope_Penguin

Captain_Starlight wrote: »

I've just checked out the difference between Citric Acid and Ascorbic Acid, and the chemical formula for CA is C6 H8 O7, whereas the AA formula is C6 H8 O6 ... so one oxygen molecule less.

If there's a chemist out there who can tell me whether or not the one missing oxygen molecule would make a whole lot of difference in a handful of fizzy bath salts, Thank You!

It's not just the number of atoms in a molecule (stoicheometry), it's how they're put together (chemical formula) that counts. Citric acid and ascorbic acid aren't the same and aren't interchangeable, sorry.Penny.

sylphraven

Only place I could get hold off it last year was at a chemist in Sainsburys, and had to explain it was to make Elderflower cordial (chemist said about it being used to cut heroin).

This year I've bought it online, along with quite a few other ingredients to make bath products, you just have to watch out for the p&p as its quite high with a lot of the companies I found selling it.