Countertop Chemistry
Appendix D 

Commercial equivalents for chemicals                                 

COMPOUND	FORMULA	COMMERCIAL EQUIVALENT	SOURCE
acetic acid	CH3COOH	vinegar ( 5% )	grocery store
acetone	CH3COCH3	acetone	hardware store
acetylsalicylic acid	C9H8O4	aspirin	drug store
aluminum	Al	foil or wire	grocery or hardware store
aluminum potassium sulfate	KAl(SO4)2	alum	drug store
aluminum sulfate	Al2(SO4)2	flocculating powder	pool supply store
ammonium carbonate	(NH4)2CO3	smelling salt	drug store
ammonium chloride	NH4Cl	sal ammoniac	drug store
ammonium hydroxide	NH4 (aq)	ammonia cleaner (10%)	grocery store
ammonium nitrate	NH4NO3	nitrate of ammonia	garden supply store
amylose	(C6H10O5)n	cornstarch	grocery store
ascorbic acid	C6H8O6	vitamin C	drug store
boric acid	H3BO3	boric acid eyewash solid roach killer	drug store hardware store
butane	C4H10	disposable lighter fluid	grocery store
caffeine	C8H10N4O2	No-Dozª tablets	drug store
calcium carbonate	CaCO3	white chalk,calcium supplement	drug store
calcium chloride	CaCl2	"De-Ice" for sidewalks	grocery store
calcium hydroxide	Ca(OH)2	slaked lime, some antacids	hardware store pool supply store
calcium oxide	CaO	Quicklimeª	hardware store
calcium phosphate, monobasic	Ca(H2PO4)2	superphosphate	garden supply store
calcium sulfate	CaSO4	plaster of paris gypsum	hobby shop building supply store

COMPOUND	FORMULA	COMMERCIAL EQUIVALENT	SOURCE
carbon	C	charcoal,graphite	hardware store
carbon dioxide-solid	CO2	dry Ice	dairies, grocery store
carbonic acid	H2CO3	soda water	grocery store
citric acid	C6H8O7	sour salt	grocery store
copper	Cu	sheet, pipe or wire	hardware store
copper sulfate, pentahydrate	CuSO4 - 5H2O	Bluestoneª algaecide Root Eaterª	hardware or lawn & garden center
DMSO	(CH3)2SO	solvent	drug stores
95% ethanol	C2H5OH	Everclearª	liquor store
ethanol/ethyl alcohol	CH3CH2OH	denatured alcohol	hardware or paint shop
ethylene glycol	CH2OHCH2OH	antifreeze	auto supply store
fructose	C6H12O6	fruit sugar	grocery store
glucose	C6H12O6	dextrose	drug store
glycerol	C3H8O3	glycerin	drug store
helium	He	helium	party shops
hydrochloric acid	HCl (aq)	muriatic acid masonry cleaner	hardware store or lawn & garden store
hydrogen peroxide	H2O2	3% antiseptic peroxide Clairoxide (12%)	drug stores beauty supply store
indicators	varies	beet juice, red cabbage juice, cherry juice	grocery store
iodine	I2	iodine	drugstore
iron	Fe	uncoated nails, filings steel wool	hardware store
iron (III) chloride	FeCl3	none	drug store
lactic acid	C3H6O3	milk acid	grocery store
lead	Pb	fishing line sinker	sporting supply store
magnesium hydroxide	Mg(OH)2	milk of magnesia	drug store
2-propanol	CH3CH(OH)CH3	rubbing alcohol	drug store

COMPOUND	FORMULA	COMMERCIAL EQUIVALENT	SOURCE
magnesium sulfate, heptahydrate	MgSO4-7H2O	Epsom salts	drug store
methanol	CH3OH	methyl alcohol, duplicator fluid, gasoline  ÒdryerÓ	paint store office supply store auto supply store
methylene blue	C16H18CN3S	methidote antiseptic biological stain	veterinarian tropical fish store
naphthalene	C10H8	moth balls	hardware store
nujol	Mixture of hydrocarbons	mineral oil, baby oil	drug store
oil	Hydrocarbon (formula varies)	vegetable oil	grocery store
oxalic acid	C2H2O4	rust remover radiator cleaner	drug store hardware store
para-dichlorobenzene	C6H4Cl2	moth flakes	hardware store
paraffin	Mixture of hydrocarbons	paraffin wax, candles	grocery store
phenol red	C19 H19SO5	swimming pool indicator	swimming pool supply
phosphoric acid	H3PO4	pH Down (30% solution)	tropical fish store
potassium aluminum sulfate	KAl(SO4)2-12H2O	potassium alum	photo supply store
potassium  bitartrate, potassium hydrogen tartrate	KHC4H4O6	cream of tartar	grocery store
potassium bromide	KBr	potassium bromide	photo store
potassium carbonate	K2CO3	potash	agricultural supply store
potassium chloride	KCl	lite salt	grocery store
potassium dichromate	K2Cr2O7	none	photo supply store
potassium hydroxide	KOH	caustic potash	hardware or ceramic shop
potassium nitrate	KNO3	saltpeter	drug store

COMPOUND	FORMULA	COMMERCIAL EQUIVALENT	SOURCE
potassium permanganate	KMnO4	"Clearwater"  (53% soln.)	tropical fish store
sodium bicarbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate	NaHCO3	baking soda	grocery store
sodium carbonate	Na2CO3	washing soda	grocery store
sodium chloride	NaCl	plain table salt -uniodized	grocery store
sodium hydroxide	NaOH	drain opener (LYE)	hardware store or farm supply store
sodium hypochlorite	NaClO	bleach (5% Sol'n)	grocery store
sodium nitrate	NaNO3	Chile saltpeter	garden supply store
sodium phosphate	Na3PO4	trisodium phosphate (TSP)	paint or garden shop
sodium silicate	Na2SiO3	water glass	hardware store
sodium tetraborate decahydrate	Na2B4O7.10 H2O	borax	grocery store
sodium thiosulfate	Na2S2O3	hypo	photo store
stearic acid	C17H35CO2H	candle hardener	hobby shop
sucrose	C12H22O11	table sugar	grocery store
sulfur	S	sulfur	lawn & garden shops
tin or copper	Sn, Cu	metal sheets	hardware  store builders supply store
vermiculite	Mica-like mineral	gardening soil	lawn & garden center
zinc	Zn	galvanized nails	hardware store

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