What is the most manufactured acid?

1 Answer
Jul 8, 2017

I think it is #"sulfuric acid......"#

Explanation:

I know that some 40-50 million tonnes of sulfuric acid are currently manufactured annually in the States alone; probably more are manufactured in China. Given that it involves oxidation of sulfur to give #SO_2#, further oxidation up to #SO_3#......it must be a smelly, dirty, unfriendly process. And then #SO_3# is hydrated by water to give 98% concentrations of #H_2SO_4#. This is probably the most important commodity chemical......