You can buy hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid) in bulk from national chemical distributors including RightPath Industries, Univar Solutions, Brenntag, and Hawkins. Bulk HCl ships as 20° or 22° Baumé technical grade or 36–38% ACS reagent grade, in poly drums, IBC totes, tank trucks, or rail cars. It is a DOT Class 8 corrosive shipped under UN1789.
What Is Hydrochloric Acid, and Why Is It Also Called Muriatic Acid?
Hydrochloric acid is hydrogen chloride gas dissolved in water. The chemical formula is HCl and the CAS number is 7647-01-0. “Muriatic acid” is the traditional commercial name for technical-grade hydrochloric acid solution, and the two terms describe the same chemical — the difference is grade and purity, not composition.
Anhydrous hydrogen chloride is a colorless gas shipped as a liquefied compressed gas under UN1050. The aqueous solution buyers actually purchase is a colorless to slightly yellow liquid shipped under UN1789. Per the NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards, hydrogen chloride has a molecular weight of 36.5 g/mol and is nonflammable.
Hydrochloric Acid Key Facts
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Chemical name | Hydrochloric acid (aqueous hydrogen chloride) |
| Common commercial name | Muriatic acid |
| Formula | HCl |
| CAS number | 7647-01-0 |
| Molecular weight | 36.5 g/mol |
| DOT ID (solution) | UN1789, ERG Guide 157 |
| DOT ID (anhydrous gas) | UN1050, ERG Guide 125 |
| DOT hazard class | Class 8, Corrosive |
| OSHA PEL | Ceiling 5 ppm (7 mg/m³) |
| NIOSH REL | Ceiling 5 ppm (7 mg/m³) |
| IDLH | 50 ppm |
| Flammability | Nonflammable |
| Vapor conversion | 1 ppm = 1.49 mg/m³ |
What Concentrations and Grades Does Bulk Hydrochloric Acid Come In?
Bulk hydrochloric acid is sold by Baumé degree rather than by weight percent. The Baumé scale converts to specific gravity with the formula sp. gr. = 145 ÷ (145 − °Bé). Technical-grade muriatic acid is specified under ASTM E1146.
| Grade | Typical HCl content | Baumé | Approx. specific gravity | Typical applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical / muriatic, 20° Bé | 31.45% | 20° | 1.155–1.162 | Water treatment, swimming pool pH control, metal cleaning |
| Technical / muriatic, 22° Bé | ~35.2% | 22° | ~1.179 | Steel pickling, oil-field acidizing, resin regeneration |
| ACS reagent | 36–38% | — | ~1.18 | Laboratory, analytical, QC titration |
| Food grade | 31–35% | 20–22° | 1.155–1.179 | Food industry pH adjustment, starch and corn processing |
The 20° Baumé grade is the default in North America and is what most distributors mean by “muriatic acid” without further qualification. RightPath stocks hydrochloric acid in both Production and ACS grades. Always confirm the grade on the certificate of analysis before accepting a bulk load — substituting 22° Bé into a process designed for 20° Bé changes your dosing math by roughly 12%.
What Packaging Sizes Can You Buy Hydrochloric Acid In?
Hydrochloric acid is highly corrosive to most metals, so packaging selection is a chemical compatibility decision, not just a volume decision. HCl is never shipped in bare steel drums.
- Carboys and jugs — 1 to 5 gallons, HDPE, for laboratory and small-batch use.
- Poly drums — 55 gallons, HDPE or polyethylene-lined.
- IBC totes — 275 and 330 gallons, HDPE bottle in a steel cage.
- Tank trucks — typically 3,000–5,000 gallons in rubber-lined or fiberglass-reinforced plastic trailers.
- Rail cars — rubber-lined tank cars for continuous high-volume consumers.
If you are weighing container economics, our guide on drum vs. IBC tote vs. bulk ordering breaks down the crossover points where each format stops making financial sense.
Who Are the Main Bulk Hydrochloric Acid Suppliers in the U.S.?
| Supplier | Headquarters | Profile |
|---|---|---|
| RightPath Industries | Pittsburgh, PA | 8,000+ chemicals; Production and ACS hydrochloric acid grades; drum through bulk; a top-10 U.S. ethanol distributor serving mid-market industrial buyers |
| Univar Solutions | Downers Grove, IL | Large national distribution network |
| Brenntag North America | Reading, PA | Global distributor with broad acid portfolio |
| Hawkins, Inc. | Roseville, MN | Strong water treatment orientation |
| Alliance Chemical | Taylor, TX | Small-pack and e-commerce focus |
Selection usually comes down to three things: whether the supplier can hold your grade in stock regionally, whether they will handle the returnable container program, and how transparent the freight component of the quote is. Our comparison of top U.S. bulk chemical distributors covers how these vendors differ across solvents, acids, and glycols.
What Drives the Cost of Bulk Hydrochloric Acid?
Hydrochloric acid is a chlor-alkali co-product, so its price tracks caustic soda and chlorine production economics rather than moving independently. Delivered cost is built from these components:
- Concentration — you are buying HCl content, so 22° Bé delivers about 12% more acid per pound of freight than 20° Bé.
- Grade — ACS reagent carries a substantial premium over technical grade for the same volume.
- Packaging — per-gallon cost drops sharply from drum to tote to tank truck.
- Freight — HCl is dense and hazmat-regulated, so shipping is a large share of landed cost.
- Container programs — tote deposits, rail car demurrage, and lease terms.
- Regional supply — proximity to chlor-alkali capacity moves delivered price materially.
Because so much of the number is freight and packaging, comparing sticker prices between quotes is misleading. Our guide on reading a bulk chemical quote for true landed cost shows how to normalize competing bids. For current pricing on your volume and location, request a quote.
How Should You Store and Handle Bulk Hydrochloric Acid?
NIOSH lists hydrochloric acid as incompatible with hydroxides, amines, alkalis, copper, brass, and zinc, and notes it is highly corrosive to most metals. Mixing HCl with sodium hydroxide or other bases produces a violent exothermic neutralization. Contact with bleach or hypochlorite releases chlorine gas.
Practical requirements for bulk storage:
- Store in HDPE, FRP, or rubber-lined vessels — never bare carbon steel.
- Provide secondary containment sized to the largest vessel.
- Keep separated from caustics, oxidizers, and cyanides. See our reference on chemical storage incompatibilities.
- Ventilate. The OSHA PEL is a ceiling of 5 ppm, meaning it must never be exceeded at any moment, not averaged over a shift.
- Provide eyewash and quick-drench stations at point of use.
- Review the current SDS before first receipt — our walkthrough on how to read a safety data sheet covers all 16 sections.
What Is Bulk Hydrochloric Acid Used For?
The largest industrial uses are steel pickling, oil and gas well acidizing, and ion-exchange resin regeneration. Municipal and industrial water treatment plants use HCl for pH adjustment, and the same function drives swimming pool chemistry. Metal cleaning and rust removal rely on HCl’s ability to dissolve iron oxides. In the food industry, food-grade HCl adjusts pH in starch and corn wet-milling and in gelatin production.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is muriatic acid the same as hydrochloric acid?
Yes. Muriatic acid is the commercial name for technical-grade hydrochloric acid solution. Both are HCl in water, CAS 7647-01-0. The difference is purity and specification, not chemistry — muriatic acid typically carries higher iron and color limits than ACS reagent grade.
What concentration is standard muriatic acid?
Standard commercial muriatic acid in North America is 20° Baumé, which is 31.45% HCl by weight with a specific gravity of approximately 1.155–1.162. A 22° Baumé grade at roughly 35.2% HCl is also widely available for pickling and oil-field service.
Can hydrochloric acid be shipped in steel drums?
No. Hydrochloric acid is highly corrosive to most metals, including steel, copper, brass, and zinc. Bulk HCl ships in HDPE drums, HDPE IBC totes, and rubber-lined or fiberglass-reinforced tank trucks and rail cars.
What DOT hazard class is hydrochloric acid?
Hydrochloric acid solution is DOT Hazard Class 8 (Corrosive), shipped under UN1789 with ERG Guide 157. Anhydrous hydrogen chloride gas ships under UN1050 with Guide 125. Our overview of DOT hazmat classes explains packing groups and placarding requirements.
What is the exposure limit for hydrochloric acid?
Both the OSHA PEL and the NIOSH REL are a ceiling limit of 5 ppm (7 mg/m³), which must not be exceeded at any point during the workday. The IDLH concentration is 50 ppm.
Does RightPath supply other bulk acids?
Yes. RightPath distributes a full acid portfolio through its acids category, including glacial acetic acid, sulfamic acid, and others. See our guide on buying glacial acetic acid in bulk for a comparable sourcing breakdown.
Ready to source bulk hydrochloric acid? RightPath Industries supplies Production and ACS grade HCl from drums to bulk, backed by 8,000+ chemicals and a Pittsburgh-based team that answers the phone. Request pricing here.