Draft Indian Standard for Sulphuric Acid Specifications Released for Public Review

2025-03-21 Reference source : Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)

Asia BIS Chemical authorisation Chemical control act Compliance strategy Deadline introduction Indian Standard Update

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has released a draft of the updated Indian Standard for Sulphuric Acid - Specification (Fifth Revision) for public comments. This draft standard, identified as CHD 01 (27028) WC, December 2024, aims to update the existing guidelines for quality and testing requirements of sulphuric acid in India. The revised standard was open for review and feedback from all relevant stakeholders, including manufacturers, suppliers, and industry experts until 1 February 2025.

Key Features of the Draft Standard:

Scope: The new draft standard provides comprehensive requirements for sulphuric acid, including methods of sampling and testing to ensure product quality and safety.

Grades of Sulphuric Acid: Four distinct grades are outlined in the draft:

Technical grade (Tech)
Battery grade (further divided into two sub-grades: concentrated and diluted)

Chemically Pure (CP) grade

Analytical Reagent (AR) grade

Grade-Specific Requirements: Each grade has specific requirements regarding appearance, composition, and impurities. For instance:

Technical grade: The acid should be a brownish liquid.
Battery grade: Must be a colorless liquid, free of visible impurities.

CP and AR grades: These must be clear, colorless, and free from suspended matter.

Optional Requirements: The draft also includes provisions for optional variation of certain chemical properties, such as total acidity and impurities, subject to mutual agreement between suppliers and purchasers.
Packaging and Marking: The draft details packaging guidelines, with specific requirements for containers based on the grade of sulphuric acid. These include the use of polyethylene containers, glass bottles, and steel drums, all fitted with leak-tight stoppers.

The containers must also bear detailed marking, including information on the material’s grade, manufacturer, expiry date, and handling instructions. In the case of Analytical Reagent grade, the chemical analysis details will be clearly marked.

BIS Certification Mark: Products conforming to the final standard may be eligible for certification under the provisions of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016 and may carry the BIS certification mark.
Sampling Method: The draft specifies the method for drawing representative samples for testing to ensure accurate and consistent quality control.

Feedback and Review Process:

This draft standard was open for public comments and review until 1 February 2025. Industry participants, including chemical manufacturers, regulatory bodies, and quality assurance experts, were encouraged to submit feedback and suggestions. This collaborative review will ensure that the standard is comprehensive, accurate, and reflective of industry needs. After the review process, the final version of the standard will be released.

Requirements for Sulphuric Acid:

Sl. No	Characteristic	Requirement					Method of Test, (Ref to Clause No. in Annex B)
		Technical Grade	Battery Grade		Chemically Pure Grade	Analytical Reagent Grade
		Technical Grade	Concentrated	Dilute	Chemically Pure Grade	Analytical Reagent Grade
(1)	(2)	(3)	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)
i)	Total acidity (as H2SO4), percent by mass, Min	98.0	95.0	30.0	98.0	98.0	B-2
ii)	Residue on ignition, percent by mass, Max	0.05	0.06	0.02	0.02	0.002	B-3
iii)	Iron (as Fe), percent by mass, Max	0.01	0.003	0.001	0.001	0.000 05	B-4
iv)	Chlorides (as C1), percent by mass, Max	—	0.001	0.000 3	0.003 5	0.000 02	B-5
v)	Heavy metals (as lead), percent by mass, Max	0.005	—	—	0.002	0.000 1	B-6
vi)	Arsenic (as As), percent by mass, Max	0.004	0.000 12	0.000 04	0.000 2	0.000 005	B-7
vii)	Oxidizable impurities (as SO2), percent by mass, Max	—	0.02	0.02	0.004	0.000 4	B-8
viii)	Organic matter	—	To pass test	—	—	—	B-9
ix)	Nitrates (as NO3), ppm, Max	—	—	—	—	0.2	B-10
x)	Ammonia (as NH3), ppm, Max	—	—	—	—	2	B-11
xi)	Selenium (as Se), percent by mass, Max	—	0.002	0.000 6	—	—	B-12
xii)	Manganese (as Mn), ppm, Max	—	1	0.3	—	—	B-13
xii)	Copper (as Cu), percent by mass, Max	—	0.003	0.001	—	—	B-14
xiv)	Zinc (as Zn), percent by mass, Max	—	0.003	0.001	—	—	B-15
xv)	Nitrates, nitrites and ammonia (as N), percent by mass, Max	—	0.003	0.001	0.003	—	B-16

Conclusion:

This update to the Sulphuric Acid - Specification standard reflects ongoing efforts to ensure that the production, handling, and use of sulphuric acid in India meets the highest standards of quality and safety. By opening the draft for public review, BIS aims to incorporate industry insights and improve the document before finalization.

The full text of the draft Standard can be accessed here-

We acknowledge that the above information has been compiled from Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

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Draft Indian Standard for Sulphuric Acid Specifications Released for Public Review

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