hydrochloric acid

noun hy·dro·chlo·ric acid \ ˌhī-drə-ˈklȯr-ik- \

Updated on: 21 May 2018

Definition of hydrochloric acid

: an aqueous solution of hydrogen chloride HCl that is a strong corrosive irritating acid, is normally present in dilute form in gastric juice, and is widely used in industry and in the laboratory

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Recent Examples of hydrochloric acid from the Web

Lava that is entering the sea, as is common in Hawaii, can produce steam clouds that contain hydrochloric acid.

— giannella m. garrett, chicagotribune.com, "When planning a hike on an active volcano, safety before spectacle," 11 May 2018
Thus, the amount of hydrochloric acid present should also relate to the starting concentration of CFCs.

— john timmer, Ars Technica, "New measurement confirms: The ozone is coming back," 4 Jan. 2018
Numerous longtime workers say that the current operations use dozens of toxic chemicals, among them benzene, lead, mercury, and hydrochloric acid.

— ian frisch, Longreads, "The Strike: Chemicals, Cancer, and the Fight for Health Care," 16 Apr. 2018
When inhaled, chlorine turns to hydrochloric acid in the lungs, which can cause drowning from fluid buildup.

— margaret hartmann, Daily Intelligencer, "What Really Happened in the Douma Chemical Attack?," 12 Apr. 2018
The facilities in question emit hazardous air pollutants that include hydrochloric acid, lead, mercury, ethylbenzene, benzene and formaldehyde.

— alex stuckey, Houston Chronicle, "Air pollution in Houston/Galveston region could increase under EPA-created loophole, study finds," 10 Apr. 2018
Bob Royall, emergency operations chief for the county’s Fire Marshal office, said his agency was alerted to Arkema and the Williams’ hydrochloric acid leak but no one informed it at the time of the nearly half-million-gallon Magellan spill.

— Time, "'Nothing Short of Catastrophic.' Hurricane Harvey's Toxic Impact Worse Than Publicly Reported, Records Show," 22 Mar. 2018
Bob Royall, emergency operations chief for the county's Fire Marshal office, said his agency was alerted to Arkema and the Williams' hydrochloric acid leak but no one informed it at the time of the nearly half-million-gallon Magellan spill.

— OrlandoSentinel.com, "Hurricane Harvey's toxic impact deeper than public told," 22 Mar. 2018
Bob Royall, emergency operations chief for the county's Fire Marshal office, said his agency was alerted to Arkema and the Williams' hydrochloric acid leak but no one informed it at the time of the nearly half-million-gallon Magellan spill.

— CBS News, "Hurricane Harvey's toxic impact deeper than public told," 22 Mar. 2018

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Origin and Etymology of hydrochloric acid

International Scientific Vocabulary

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First Known Use: 1819

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