3.1.

6 INORGANIC COMPOUNDS WITH ECONOMIC, INDUSTRIAL,

SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.
Inorganic compounds also differ from organic compounds in the way they react,
inorganic reactions are almost always instantaneous, ionic and simple, fast and
with a high quantitative yield, while organic reactions are nonionic, complex and
slow, and limited performance, generally being carried out with the help of high
temperatures and the use of catalysts. An inorganic chemical compound is all
those compounds that are made up of different elements, but in which their main
component is not always carbon, with water being the most abundant. In inorganic
compounds it could be said that almost all known elements participate.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
The first and important man-made inorganic compound was ammonium nitrate for
soil fertilization through the Haber process. Inorganic compounds are synthesized
for use as catalysts such as vanadium(V) oxide and titanium(III) chloride, or as
reagents in organic chemistry, such as lithium aluminum hydride.
Sulfuric acid is an extremely corrosive chemical compound whose formula is
H2SO4. It is the most produced chemical compound in the world, which is why it is
used as one of the many meters of the industrial capacity of countries. A large part
is used to obtain fertilizers. It is also used for the synthesis of other acids and
sulfates and in the petrochemical industry.
Acetic Acid: As it is derived from petroleum, it can be deduced that it is a
somewhat expensive process.
Phosphoric acid or orthophosphoric acid. It is obtained by treating calcium
phosphate rocks with sulfuric acids, subsequently filtering the resulting liquid to
extract the calcium sulfate. Among other applications, phosphoric acid is used as
an ingredient in non-alcoholic beverages such as Soda (food additive E-338); as
denture glue; as a catalyst, in stainless metals and for phosphates used as water
softeners, fertilizers and detergents. Widely used in chemical laboratories in the
preparation of buffer solutions or pH regulators.

INSUSTRIAL IMPACT
Acetic Acid: Different products are manufactured from the same raw material,
which is convenient for the industry because it does not spend much on investment
in raw materials.
METHANOIC ACID OR Formic Acid, the simplest of the organic acids. Its chemical
formula is HCOOH. It is a colorless liquid with an irritating odor whose boiling and
freezing points are 100.7 ºC and 8.4 ºC respectively. It is prepared commercially by
reacting carbon dioxide with carbon monoxide at high temperature and pressure.
Methanoic acid is used on a large scale in the chemical industry, as well as to
obtain dyes and tanning. In nature, methanoic acid appears in the venom of ants
and nettles.
PHOSPHORIC ACID, with the chemical formula H3PO4, an acid that is the source
of compounds of industrial importance called phosphates. At room temperature,
phosphoric acid is a crystalline substance with a relative density of 1.83. It has a
melting point of 42.35 °C. Normally, phosphoric acid is stored and distributed in
solution. It is obtained by treating calcium phosphate rocks with sulfuric acid,
subsequently filtering the resulting liquid to extract the calcium sulfate. Another way
to obtain it consists of burning phosphorus vapors and treating the resulting oxide
with water vapor. The acid is very useful in the laboratory due to its resistance to
oxidation, reduction and evaporation. Among other applications, phosphoric acid is
used as an ingredient in non-alcoholic beverages, as a denture glue, as a catalyst,
in stainless metals, and for phosphates that are used as water softeners, fertilizers,
and detergents.
LINOLEIC ACID, colorless or pale yellow, oily liquid, with the formula
CH3(CH2)4(CH=CHCH2)2(CH2)6CO2H, whose double bonds have a cis
configuration (see Organic Chemistry). It is soluble in organic solvents and
polymerizes easily, which gives it drying properties. Linoleic acid is an essential
fatty acid, that is, it is a necessary element in the diet of mammals because it is
one of the precursors of prostaglandins and other hormonal components.
It is found as a glycerin ester in many vegetable seed oils, such as linseed,
soybean, sunflower, and cottonseed oil. It is used in the manufacture of paints and
varnishes.
MURIATIC ACID
In aqueous solution, hydrochloric acid molecules dissociate into positively charged
hydrogen ions and negatively charged chloride ions. Easily ionized, hydrochloric
acid is a good conductor of electricity. Hydrogen ions give hydrochloric acid its
acidic properties and, therefore, all solutions of hydrogen chloride in water have a
bitter taste, corrode active metals forming metal and hydrogen chlorides, color
litmus red, neutralize alkalis and They react with salts of weak acids forming
chlorides and weak acids.
Hydrogen chloride is obtained industrially as a derivative by reacting chlorine with
hydrocarbons to produce organic chlorides. Hydrochloric acid is obtained by
reacting sodium chloride with sulfuric acid, or by combining hydrogen and chlorine.
Raw industrial hydrochloric acid is known as muriatic acid. It is used in large
quantities to prepare chlorides, clean metals, and in industrial processes such as
the preparation of glucose from corn flour. The cells in the walls of the stomach
secrete small amounts of hydrochloric acid to facilitate the digestion of food.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Acetic Acid: Environmentally: As it is derived from petroleum, it is non-renewable
and also causes serious environmental damage if the product is not recycled.
Sulfuric acid: The main environmental impact of sulfuric acid is on the pH of water.
The aqueous pH range that is not entirely lethal to fish is 5-9. Below a pH of 5.0
there is a rapid decline in fish species and the biotacks that support them. The
secondary environmental impact of sulfuric acid is that its presence increases the
toxicity of other contaminants, such as sulfides and metals, through its dissolution.

SOCIAL IMPACT

ACETIC ACID: Helps society in the area of being able to use it in different ways,
whether it is part of medicines or foods.
Ascorbic acid or Vitamin C:
• Obtaining: It is present in citrus fruits
• Properties: It comes in the form of white crystals. It is soluble in water, slightly
soluble in alcohol and insoluble in ether. Melts at 192ºC
LACTIC ACID, OR 2-HYDROXYPROPANOIC ACID, colorless compound with the
formula CH3CHOHCOOH. It occurs in two optically active forms, right-handed and
left-handed, frequently called Dlactic acid and Llactic acid. In its natural state it is
an optically inactive mixture composed of equal parts of both D- and L-forms,
known as a 'racemic' mixture.
It is normally prepared by bacterial fermentation of lactose, starch, cane sugar or
whey. Small amounts of lactic acid are present in the blood and other body fluids
and organs; This acid is formed in tissues, especially muscle tissues, which obtain
energy by metabolizing sugar in the absence of oxygen. The accumulation of large
amounts of this acid in the muscles produces fatigue and can cause cramps. The
lactic acid that is formed in milk by the fermentation of lactose is what causes it to
sour. Lactic acid is used to make cheese, sauerkraut, sauerkraut, soft drinks, and
other food products.
MALIC ACID is hydroxybutanedioic acid, a colorless compound with the formula
HO2CCH2CHOHCO2H. It has a melting point of about 100 °C and is soluble in
water and alcohol. The Swedish chemist Carl W. Scheele was the one who
determined its composition and properties.
It exists in two optically active forms, although Lmalic acid (left-handed isomer) is
the only one of natural origin (see Optical activity). Racemic mixture was
discovered by Louis Pasteur.
It is found in apples, grapes and green cherries and many other fruits, as well as in
wines. It can be obtained synthetically from tartaric acid and succinic acid. When
heated, it dehydrates and produces fumaric acid and maleic acid. It is part of the
Krebs cycle as a metabolic intermediate.
It is used as a food additive for its antibacterial action and pleasant aroma. It is also
used in medicine, in the manufacture of certain laxatives and to treat throat
conditions.