Product Overview
Citric Acid 50% Solution is a clear, colorless liquid supplied at a half-strength concentration of citric acid (C6H8O7) in water. Designated technical grade, this solution is ordered by technical analysts, water-treatment operators, industrial formulators and cleaning-product manufacturers who need a pre-dissolved, ready-to-meter organic acid. The 50% concentration eliminates the dissolution step required by dry citric acid while still delivering meaningful acid capacity per unit volume — a practical middle ground between handling convenience and process strength.
Alliance Chemical offers this product in sizes from 1-quart bottles through 330-gallon totes, scaling from bench work to continuous production lines.
Why This Concentration
A 50% aqueous solution sits at the upper end of what remains pourable and pumpable at normal ambient temperatures. For pH control and chelation work, that matters: every gallon delivers roughly half its weight as active citric acid, so dosing volumes stay manageable even in large-batch processes. Compared to aCitric Acid 25% Solution, the 50% concentration cuts your required volume in half for the same acid delivery — fewer drum changes, less storage footprint, lower freight cost per unit of active ingredient.
The trade-off is viscosity. At higher concentrations, citric acid solutions thicken noticeably in cooler environments and crystallization can occur if storage temperatures drop below the saturation threshold. Facilities running this product through metering pumps in unheated warehouses should confirm their pump ratings and consider line tracing. If your process is sensitive to over-concentration or you need wider temperature tolerance, the 25% solution gives more margin.
The technical grade designation is the tier that technical and analytical buyers commonly specify when their protocols call for a defined purity level. Production-scale users in cleaning, water treatment and metal finishing often find the same grade appropriate for quality-controlled formulations.
Chemical Profile
This product is a clear, colorless, odorless liquid in aqueous solution form. Its molecular formula is C6H8O7with a molecular weight of 192.12 g/mol, identified by CAS number 77-92-9. The solution has a density of 1.24 at 50% w/w and 20 °C — noticeably denser than water, which affects volumetric metering calculations. It is fully miscible with water at any ratio, making dilution straightforward in the field. Citric acid is a triprotic weak organic acid, meaning it releases hydrogen ions in three stages as pH rises, which gives it useful buffering capacity across a working pH range.
Industrial Applications
Citric acid at 50% concentration is a workhorse acidulant across several sectors. Its organic-acid chemistry means it breaks down readily and leaves no persistent inorganic residues — a meaningful advantage over mineral acids in processes where rinsability or environmental discharge limits matter.
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pH Control— Water-treatment plants, beverage producers and chemical formulators use citric acid solutions to lower and stabilize pH. The triprotic buffering behavior provides smoother pH adjustment than a strong mineral acid, reducing the risk of overshooting a target setpoint.
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Chelation and Metal Sequestration— Citric acid binds calcium, magnesium, iron and other metal ions in solution. This chelating action prevents scale formation in boilers and cooling systems, stabilizes metal-ion-sensitive formulations and aids in passivation rinses for stainless steel fabrication.
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Industrial Cleaning— The acid dissolves mineral deposits, hard-water scale and metal oxides. Cleaning crews use it in CIP (clean-in-place) loops, descaling operations and equipment turnaround washes where a non-fuming organic acid is preferred over hydrochloric or phosphoric acid.
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Technical Buffering— As a buffering agent in biochemical assays and analytical chemistry, citric acid maintains stable pH during reactions. The 50% liquid form simplifies buffer preparation by eliminating the weighing and dissolution steps required with dry powder.
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Personal-Care and Cosmetic Formulation— Formulators incorporate citric acid as a pH adjuster and antioxidant synergist in cosmetic products. The pre-dissolved liquid reduces lot-to-lot variability during batching.
Handling & Storage
Citric Acid 50% Solution carries aWarningsignal word (per the product's GHS classification). The two governing hazard statements areH319— causes serious eye irritation — andH335— may cause respiratory irritation (per the product's GHS classification). Operators should wear chemical splash goggles and gloves as baseline PPE. In enclosed or poorly ventilated areas, respiratory protection is warranted to address the H335 inhalation pathway.
Store in a cool, dry location out of direct sunlight. HDPE drums, polypropylene totes and glass containers are all compatible with citric acid solutions. Avoid contact with strong oxidizing agents — citric acid can react with oxidizers under concentrated conditions. Ensure containers remain sealed to prevent evaporative concentration, which can shift the solution above its labeled strength and alter dosing accuracy. At 50% concentration, monitor storage temperature; if ambient drops significantly, inspect for crystal formation before pumping.
Hazmat & Shipping
Citric Acid 50% Solution isnot classified as a hazardous material for transport(per 49 CFR 172.101). No UN number, hazard class, packing group, or regulated proper shipping name applies to this product. Standard ground freight moves without a hazmat placard or shipping paper under DOT rules.
Shipping guidance on this page is reviewed by Andre Taki, DOT Hazmat Specialist.
Documentation
A Safety Data Sheet ships with every order. SDS documents are available in English, Spanish, French and Japanese — supporting multinational operations and import compliance in multiple jurisdictions. A Technical Data Sheet is also on file for specification review.
Lot-specific Certificates of Analysis are available on request. Each COA ties the delivered product back to its production lot, which matters for quality-controlled processes where incoming-material verification is standard protocol.
Why Buy from Alliance Chemical
This product is available to order across sixteen size and packaging configurations — from 1-quart bottles for technical and pilot work through 275- and 330-gallon totes for high-volume production — with full documentation including multilingual SDS and lot-specific COA. Alliance Chemical has operated since 1998 and has served more than 50,000 customers from our warehouse at 204 S Edmond St, Taylor, Texas 76574. Product pages and shipping guidance are reviewed by Andre Taki, DOT Hazmat Specialist, registered under USDOT #2188383.
