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1327-41-9
AlClHO
79.44
215-477-2
Product Description
Aluminum Chlorohydrate, commonly abbreviated as ACH, is a high-basicity inorganic aluminum salt used primarily as a coagulant in water treatment and, in separately qualified grades, as an antiperspirant active ingredient.
ACH is available commercially as a clear liquid solution or a white to off-white hygroscopic powder. Its highly basic polymeric aluminum species help destabilize negatively charged particles, allowing them to form larger flocs that can be removed by sedimentation, flotation or filtration.
Product identity | Information |
|---|---|
Chemical name | Aluminum Chlorohydrate |
British spelling | Aluminium Chlorohydrate |
Abbreviation | ACH |
Chemical family | Basic aluminum salts |
Simplified empirical formula | Al₂(OH)₅Cl·xH₂O |
Common CAS number | 12042-91-0 |
EC number | 234-933-1 |
Physical forms | Clear liquid or white to off-white powder |
Chemical classification | Inorganic polymeric aluminum salt |
Primary function | Coagulant / functional active ingredient |
Water solubility | Soluble; solution behavior depends on concentration and basicity |
Commercial ACH is not always a single discrete molecular species. It is better described as a family of hydrated and polymerized basic aluminum chloride species. For this reason, the approved specification and batch Certificate of Analysis are more useful than molecular weight alone.
CAS 12042-91-0 is commonly associated with dialuminum chloride pentahydroxide and Aluminum Chlorohydrate.
Some water-treatment products marketed as ACH use CAS 1327-41-9, which is more broadly associated with basic aluminum chloride or polyaluminum chloride. These identifiers should not be copied interchangeably without checking the product’s SDS, composition and regulatory registration.
When qualifying a supplier, confirm:
The CAS number stated on the SDS
Product form and concentration
Al₂O₃ content
Basicity
Aluminum-to-chloride ratio
Application grade
Applicable regulatory or certification status
The SDS and contract specification for the supplied product should control over generic online descriptions.
Liquid ACH is a clear, colorless to slightly amber solution that can be transferred using pumps and metering systems. It is typically selected for continuous water-treatment systems where direct dosing and rapid dispersion are important.
Common commercial reference ranges include:
Parameter | Typical liquid ACH reference |
Appearance | Clear to slightly hazy liquid |
Al₂O₃ content | Approximately 23–24% |
Basicity | Approximately 80–90% |
pH | Approximately 3.5–4.5, depending on method |
Density | Approximately 1.33–1.37 g/mL at 20–25°C |
Water-insoluble matter | Grade dependent |
These figures are market references rather than guaranteed sales specifications. The current TDS and lot-specific COA should be used for acceptance.
Powder ACH is a concentrated, hygroscopic white to off-white material. It may reduce the amount of water transported and can be useful where dry blending, local solution preparation or extended-distance shipping is required.
Common powder-grade qualification parameters include:
Parameter | Typical powder ACH reference |
Appearance | White to off-white hygroscopic powder |
Al₂O₃ content | Commonly approximately 46–48% |
Basicity | Often approximately 80–90% |
Solution pH | Grade and test-concentration dependent |
Insoluble matter | Controlled according to application |
Iron and heavy metals | Tighter limits for sensitive grades |
Powder must be dissolved using appropriate water quality, mixing conditions and addition procedures. Avoid uncontrolled dust generation and localized overconcentration during solution preparation.
Basicity indicates the degree to which chloride in an aluminum salt has been replaced by hydroxide. A higher-basicity product is more pre-neutralized before it enters the treatment process.
Compared with less-basic aluminum salts, a properly selected high-basicity ACH grade may:
Consume less raw-water alkalinity
Cause less reduction in treated-water pH
Form useful aluminum-hydroxide floc under challenging conditions
Reduce the need for separate pH adjustment
Support treatment of low-alkalinity or variable water
Provide a concentrated source of active aluminum
These are potential process benefits, not universal performance guarantees. Raw-water pH, alkalinity, temperature, turbidity, natural organic matter and mixing conditions can all change the result.
ACH introduces positively charged polymeric aluminum species into water. These species neutralize or reduce the electrical charge that keeps fine suspended and colloidal particles apart.
Once destabilized, the particles collide during controlled mixing and form larger flocs. The flocs can then be separated by clarification, dissolved-air flotation, sedimentation or filtration.
Effective ACH treatment normally involves four stages:
Rapid dispersion of the coagulant
Charge neutralization and particle destabilization
Controlled floc growth
Separation of floc from the treated water
Overdosing can restabilize particles, increase residual aluminum or create unnecessary sludge. The correct dose should therefore be established through jar testing and confirmed at plant scale.
A suitably certified ACH grade may be used to reduce turbidity, color and natural organic matter in drinking-water treatment.
Its high basicity can be useful for low-alkalinity water or systems where excessive pH depression is undesirable. Potable-water use requires compliance with the applicable national standards, approvals and maximum-use conditions.
Do not describe a general industrial grade as drinking-water grade unless the necessary certification is available for the destination market.
ACH can support clarification of municipal wastewater and industrial effluent containing suspended solids, colloidal matter, color or selected organic contaminants.
Potential applications include:
Primary clarification
Phosphorus-removal programs
Sludge conditioning and dewatering support
Textile and dyeing wastewater
Pulp and paper wastewater
Food-processing wastewater
Selected metal-processing effluents
Performance must be verified against the actual wastewater because competing ions, surfactants, chelating agents and extreme pH can affect coagulation.
Low-turbidity water may not provide enough particle contact for conventional coagulation, while low alkalinity increases the risk of a significant pH drop.
High-basicity ACH may help reduce alkalinity consumption, but dosage, mixing energy and flocculation time still require optimization.
ACH can be evaluated as a pretreatment coagulant upstream of filtration or membrane systems. Effective pretreatment may reduce colloidal loading and improve downstream filtration performance.
The program should be controlled to avoid excess aluminum carryover or poorly formed floc reaching the membrane. Compatibility with the membrane supplier’s requirements must be confirmed.
In pulp and paper applications, ACH may support retention, drainage, pitch control, sizing or process-water clarification.
The correct grade and dosage depend on furnish chemistry, recycled-fiber content, pH and the other wet-end additives used in the system.
Specifically manufactured personal-care grades of Aluminum Chlorohydrate are used as antiperspirant active ingredients in roll-ons, sticks, creams, lotions and selected spray systems.
Personal-care applications may require tighter control of:
Iron and heavy metals
Particle size
Solution clarity
Aluminum-to-chloride ratio
Microbiological quality
Trace impurities
Regional cosmetic or drug compliance
Industrial water-treatment grade must not be substituted for a qualified personal-care grade.
ACH, polyaluminum chloride and aluminum sulfate are all aluminum-based coagulants, but they are not identical products.
Selection factor | ACH | PAC | Aluminum sulfate |
Typical basicity | High | Varies widely by grade | Low / not pre-neutralized |
Aluminum concentration | Generally high | Grade dependent | Lower active aluminum concentration |
Effect on alkalinity | Often lower | Moderate to low, grade dependent | Generally higher |
Potential pH reduction | Usually less under comparable conditions | Grade dependent | Usually greater |
Product variability | Concentration and grade differences | Very broad composition range | Comparatively standardized |
Typical selection case | Low alkalinity, concentrated dosing or specialized clarification | General-purpose water treatment | Established conventional treatment programs |
ACH is not automatically the best or lowest-cost coagulant for every plant. Product price, delivered active Al₂O₃, alkalinity demand, sludge production, residual aluminum and filtration performance should be compared together.
There is no universal ACH dosage that works for every water source.
Selection should consider:
Raw-water turbidity
pH and alkalinity
Temperature
Color and natural organic matter
Target residual aluminum
Mixing energy
Clarifier or flotation design
Filtration requirements
Sludge production and disposal
Other treatment chemicals already in use
Run jar tests across several ACH dosages and, where necessary, several pH conditions. Record:
Settled-water turbidity
Floc formation time
Floc size and settling behavior
Treated-water pH
Residual aluminum
Color or organic-matter removal
Sludge volume
Filterability
The lowest chemical dosage is not always the optimum dose. Choose the condition that provides stable clarification, acceptable residuals and reliable downstream filtration.
Plant trials should follow laboratory testing before full-scale conversion from another coagulant.
Common commercial packaging formats include:
Plastic drums
Intermediate bulk containers
Road tanker or bulk delivery
Moisture-resistant lined bags
Fiber or plastic drums
Flexible intermediate bulk containers
Packaging availability depends on grade, quantity, destination and transport requirements. Confirm the net weight, pallet configuration, container loading quantity and shelf-life conditions during quotation.
Store Aluminum Chlorohydrate in tightly closed, correctly labeled containers. Protect powder from moisture and prevent contamination of liquid product during storage or transfer.
Liquid ACH systems commonly use compatible plastic, fiberglass-reinforced plastic or appropriately selected stainless-steel equipment. Compatibility depends on concentration, temperature, impurities and contact time.
Avoid assuming that carbon steel, aluminum or other reactive metals are suitable. Acidic chloride-containing solutions can corrode incompatible metals and may generate hydrogen when reacting with certain active metals.
Before installation, confirm compatibility for:
Storage tanks
Pumps
Gaskets and seals
Transfer hoses
Valves
Dosing lines
Secondary containment
Do not mix ACH directly with concentrated alkalis or incompatible treatment chemicals. Use separate feed points unless compatibility has been demonstrated.
Liquid ACH is acidic and may irritate or damage the eyes and skin depending on concentration and classification. Powder grades can generate irritating dust.
Recommended controls include:
Chemical-resistant gloves
Eye or face protection
Suitable protective clothing
Local ventilation for powder handling
Enclosed transfer where practical
Immediate access to eyewash and washing facilities
Follow the current SDS for first aid, spill response, storage, transport and disposal. Transport classification can vary with concentration and jurisdiction; do not assume that every ACH grade is non-dangerous goods.
Products intended for drinking-water treatment must meet the standards, certifications and maximum-use requirements applicable in the destination market.
Products intended for personal care must be manufactured and documented for that use. In the United States, Aluminum Chlorohydrate is included in the FDA OTC antiperspirant monograph at concentrations up to 25% in qualifying finished products, calculated according to the monograph.
An ingredient’s presence in a regulation does not make every industrial grade suitable for that application.
Request the documents relevant to your market, which may include:
Safety Data Sheet
Technical Data Sheet
Lot-specific Certificate of Analysis
Drinking-water approval or certification
INCI or cosmetic-compliance statement
Heavy-metal and iron data
Regulatory-status statement
Origin and manufacturing declaration
For an accurate Aluminum Chlorohydrate quotation, provide:
Intended application
Liquid or powder requirement
Required Al₂O₃ content
Required basicity
Maximum iron, heavy metals and insoluble matter
Required CAS or registration identity
Packaging
Trial quantity and annual volume
Destination country and port
Required Incoterm
Certification and document requirements
For water-treatment projects, include available raw-water data. For personal-care projects, state the formulation type and applicable target-market requirements.
Aluminum Chlorohydrate is a high-basicity inorganic aluminum salt used mainly as a water-treatment coagulant and, in qualified grades, as an antiperspirant active ingredient.
ACH is inorganic. It is a polymeric basic aluminum chloride rather than a carbon-based organic compound.
Not exactly. ACH belongs to the broader family of basic polymeric aluminum salts, but it normally has higher basicity and a more specific composition than many products sold as PAC. Commercial naming varies, so compare the TDS and SDS rather than relying on the name alone.
CAS 12042-91-0 is commonly used for Aluminum Chlorohydrate or dialuminum chloride pentahydroxide. Some broader basic aluminum chloride products use CAS 1327-41-9. Confirm the identifier on the supplied product’s SDS.
Basicity describes the degree of pre-neutralization of the aluminum salt. Higher-basicity products generally consume less water alkalinity and cause less pH reduction than less-basic aluminum salts under comparable conditions.
Liquid ACH is convenient for direct pumping and continuous dosing. Powder ACH reduces transported water and can offer storage or dry-blending advantages. The best form depends on freight, storage, dissolution and plant-equipment requirements.
There is no universal dose. Dosage must be determined by jar testing and adjusted for raw-water pH, alkalinity, turbidity, temperature and treatment objectives.
A properly certified grade can be used where permitted. The product must meet the applicable local drinking-water standard and maximum-use requirements.
No—not unless the material has been specifically manufactured, tested, documented and approved as a personal-care or antiperspirant grade.
It may reduce sludge or dose under certain conditions, but this is not universal. Compare the products using jar tests, delivered active content and full-scale operating data.
Store it sealed and protected from contamination. Keep powder dry. Use storage and transfer materials that have been verified for the supplied concentration and operating temperature.
The minimum documents are normally the SDS and lot-specific COA. Buyers may also require a TDS, product specification, regulatory statement and application-specific certification.
Looking for liquid or powder Aluminum Chlorohydrate for water treatment, industrial processing or a separately qualified formulation application?
Send us your required form, Al₂O₃ content, basicity, application, packaging, quantity and delivery destination. Our team will review the specification and confirm suitable grade availability, documentation and commercial terms.
Request an ACH sample, technical document or quotation for Aluminum Chlorohydrate.
