Sodium Chloride (NaCl) Supplier | CAS 7647-14-5

Sodium Chloride at a Glance

Sodium Chloride, commonly known as salt or NaCl, is an inorganic ionic compound identified by CAS No. 7647-14-5. It is supplied as white crystalline powder, granules, compacted tablets or coarse crystals, depending on its manufacturing process and intended application.

Industrial sodium chloride is a fundamental raw material for chlor-alkali production, water treatment, detergents, textiles, leather processing and numerous chemical processes. Separately qualified food, pharmaceutical and laboratory grades are used in regulated applications.

We supply Sodium Chloride against agreed grade, purity, particle size, additive, packaging and documentation requirements. Final availability and compliance must be confirmed in the quotation, specification and batch Certificate of Analysis.

• Product name: Sodium Chloride

• Common name: Salt

• CAS number: 7647-14-5

• EC number: 231-598-3

• Molecular formula: NaCl

• Molecular weight: 58.44 g/mol

• Chemical type: Inorganic sodium salt

• Appearance: White or colorless crystalline solid

• Primary commercial role: Basic inorganic raw material

• Water solubility: Readily soluble

Sodium Chloride Chemical Identity and Physical Properties

These values are general reference information. The product specification and Certificate of Analysis should be used for batch acceptance.

Sodium Chloride Grades and How to Choose

Sodium chloride grades are not interchangeable. The correct product depends on the application, applicable standard, impurity limits, crystal size and permitted additives.

Industrial and Technical Grade Sodium Chloride

Industrial-grade sodium chloride is intended for chemical manufacturing and general processing rather than direct food or pharmaceutical use.

Typical applications include:

• Chlor-alkali electrolysis

• Detergent manufacturing

• Textile dyeing

• Leather processing

• Resin and polymer production

• Pulp and paper processing

• Brine preparation

• Industrial water treatment

• General chemical synthesis

Purchasing criteria may include NaCl assay, moisture, calcium, magnesium, sulfate, insoluble matter and particle size.

Food Grade Sodium Chloride

Food-grade sodium chloride is manufactured and controlled for food processing. It may be supplied as iodized or non-iodized salt and may contain an approved anti-caking agent.

Common uses include:

• Seasoning

• Meat and seafood processing

• Bakery products

• Dairy processing

• Canning

• Pickling and fermentation

• Brine preparation

• Food preservation

• Dry food blends

Food-grade status must be supported by the appropriate specification, food-safety documentation and destination-market compliance. Industrial salt must not be used as food salt simply because it has a high NaCl assay.

Pharmaceutical Grade Sodium Chloride

Pharmaceutical-grade sodium chloride is produced and tested against a defined pharmacopoeial or customer specification, such as USP, Ph. Eur., BP, JP, ChP or IP.

Depending on qualification, it may be used in:

• Oral pharmaceutical formulations

• Nasal and ophthalmic preparations

• Dialysis-related products

• Irrigation preparations

• Oral rehydration products

• Biopharmaceutical process solutions

• Tonicity adjustment

• Pharmaceutical buffer and media preparation

Compliance with a chemical assay alone does not establish suitability for injectable or sterile applications. Products intended for parenteral manufacturing may require additional controls, labeling, GMP documentation, bioburden or endotoxin requirements.

Laboratory and Reagent Grade Sodium Chloride

Laboratory grades are designed for analytical, research and manufacturing procedures requiring defined impurity limits.

Specifications may control:

• Assay

• pH

• Insoluble matter

• Calcium and magnesium

• Potassium

• Sulfate

• Bromide and iodide

• Heavy metals

• Trace metals

• UV absorbance

• DNase, RNase or protease activity for molecular-biology grades

Laboratory grade does not automatically mean food or pharmaceutical grade.

Water-Softener and Regeneration Salt

Water-treatment sodium chloride is used to regenerate ion-exchange resins in domestic, commercial and industrial water-softening systems.

Available forms may include:

• Compacted tablets

• Pellets

• Coarse crystals

• Granular salt

• High-purity vacuum salt

Important criteria include dissolution behavior, insoluble matter, hardness impurities, tablet strength and brine-tank cleanliness.

De-Icing and Road Salt

De-icing salt is selected for ice and snow control. It generally emphasizes particle-size distribution, spreading performance, moisture and cost rather than the impurity limits required for food or pharmaceutical processing.

De-icing salt must not be represented as food, feed, pharmaceutical or laboratory grade.

Typical Sodium Chloride Quality Parameters

Analytical limits must be compared on the same basis. For example, assay may be reported as received, after drying or on a dry-matter basis.

Iodized, Non-Iodized and Additive-Free Sodium Chloride

Iodized Sodium Chloride

Iodized salt contains a controlled iodine source, commonly potassium iodate or potassium iodide, according to the applicable market requirements.

It is primarily intended for food or public-health applications. It is generally unsuitable for processes in which iodine can interfere with reactions, corrosion behavior, analytical results or final product quality.

Non-Iodized Sodium Chloride

Non-iodized salt is selected for food processes that do not require fortification and for many industrial, pharmaceutical and laboratory applications.

“Non-iodized” does not necessarily mean “additive-free.” The product may still contain an anti-caking agent.

Additive-Free Sodium Chloride

Additive-free salt contains no intentionally added iodine, anti-caking agent or other processing additive. This may be required for sensitive formulations, fermentation, pharmaceutical processing or chemical manufacturing.

The additive declaration should be included in the specification rather than inferred from the product name.

Vacuum Salt, Solar Salt and Rock Salt

The source and manufacturing method influence purity, crystal form, particle-size distribution and impurity profile.

Vacuum-Evaporated Salt

Vacuum salt is produced by purifying brine and crystallizing sodium chloride under controlled evaporation conditions. It commonly provides:

• High NaCl purity

• Uniform white appearance

• Controlled crystal size

• Low insoluble matter

• Consistent dissolution

• Suitability for refined industrial, food or pharmaceutical grades

The production method alone does not establish regulatory grade; the final specification and quality system remain decisive.

Solar-Evaporated Salt

Solar salt is produced through evaporation of seawater or natural brine. It may be used in food, industrial, water-treatment and chemical applications after appropriate washing, refining and grading.

Calcium, magnesium, sulfate and insoluble content may vary with the source and refining process.

Rock Salt

Rock salt is mechanically mined from underground salt deposits. It is widely used for industrial processing, water treatment, animal nutrition where approved and road de-icing.

Purity, color and insoluble content can vary by deposit and processing method.

Why Crystal Size Matters

Sodium chloride particle size affects more than appearance.

Fine salt generally dissolves rapidly and blends easily but can produce more dust and may be more prone to caking. Coarse crystals provide slower dissolution and improved handling in selected brine or water-treatment systems.

Compacted tablets and pellets are designed to dissolve in a controlled manner while minimizing fines and bridging in brine tanks.

An RFQ should define particle size by an agreed sieve distribution rather than using only terms such as “fine,” “medium” or “coarse.”

Sodium Chloride Applications by Industry

Sodium chloride serves as a chemical feedstock, formulation ingredient, processing aid and source of controlled brine across numerous industries.

Chlor-Alkali Production

Purified sodium chloride brine is electrolyzed to produce chlorine, sodium hydroxide and hydrogen. This is one of the most important industrial uses of salt.

For membrane-cell chlor-alkali production, buyers typically evaluate:

• Calcium and magnesium

• Sulfate

• Iron

• Insoluble matter

• Brine-treatment demand

• Consistency between shipments

• Suitable bulk logistics

A high NaCl assay alone does not guarantee suitability for a specific electrolyzer or brine-treatment system.

Water Treatment and Ion-Exchange Regeneration

Sodium chloride brine regenerates sodium-form ion-exchange resins used in water softening.

Suitable salt should support:

• Predictable dissolution

• Low insoluble residue

• Clean brine tanks

• Controlled hardness impurities

• Consistent tablet or pellet strength

• Reliable resin regeneration

Industrial water-treatment systems should select salt according to equipment and resin-supplier requirements.

Food Processing

Food-grade sodium chloride contributes flavor, preservation, texture, fermentation control and water-activity management.

Buyers should specify:

• Food-grade standard

• Iodized or non-iodized status

• Anti-caking agent

• Crystal size

• Microbiological requirements where applicable

• Allergen and GMO statements if required

• Kosher or Halal documentation if required

• Packaging suitable for food manufacturing

Pharmaceutical and Bioprocessing

Qualified pharmaceutical sodium chloride may be used to adjust tonicity, prepare process solutions and support pharmaceutical or biopharmaceutical formulations.

Important controls can include:

• Pharmacopoeial compliance

• Assay on the specified basis

• Trace-element limits

• Endotoxin or bioburden requirements where applicable

• GMP status

• Change-control commitments

• Batch traceability

• Intended-use labeling

The purchaser must qualify the material for the exact dosage form and manufacturing process.

Detergents and Cleaning Products

Sodium chloride can serve as a processing aid, viscosity modifier or formulation component in selected detergent and cleaning systems.

Compatibility depends on surfactant chemistry, concentration, temperature and other electrolytes.

Textile and Dyeing Processes

Salt is used in selected textile dyeing operations to promote dye exhaustion and control ionic strength. Required purity depends on the dye system, fabric and wastewater strategy.

Hardness ions and iron may affect shade consistency and processing performance.

Leather, Pulp and Paper Processing

Industrial salt may be used in hide preservation, leather processing, pulp operations and paper manufacturing. The suitable grade depends on process chemistry and final-product requirements.

De-Icing and Dust Control

Coarse or graded sodium chloride can lower the freezing point of water and support road de-icing. It may also be used in selected dust-control formulations.

Particle size, moisture, spreading characteristics, storage behavior and environmental management are primary considerations.

Food, Pharmaceutical and Industrial Grades Are Not Interchangeable

A material with 99% or higher NaCl is not automatically food or pharmaceutical grade.

Grade status also depends on:

• Manufacturing controls

• Permitted raw-material source

• Contaminant limits

• Approved additives

• Traceability

• Hygiene and contamination controls

• Applicable standards

• Audit and documentation requirements

• Intended-use labeling

Always purchase against a written grade specification and intended use.

Packaging and Bulk Supply

Depending on grade and destination, sodium chloride may be supplied in:

• Moisture-resistant small bags

• 20 kg, 25 kg or 50 kg bags

• Polyethylene-lined bags

• Food-compatible bags

• Drums

• 500–1,000 kg flexible bulk containers

• Palletized loads

• Bulk pneumatic or tipper delivery

Actual packaging options, pallet configuration and minimum order quantity must be confirmed during quotation.

For food and pharmaceutical applications, packaging materials should be separately qualified for the intended market.

Storage and Handling

Store Sodium Chloride:

• In a cool and dry warehouse

• In tightly closed, moisture-resistant packaging

• Away from rain, condensation and excessive humidity

• Away from incompatible or contaminating materials

• On clean pallets and above floor level

• With food or pharmaceutical grades segregated from technical materials

Sodium chloride is stable and non-combustible, but it can absorb surface moisture and cake under humid conditions. Spilled crystals can also create a slipping hazard.

Dust generation should be controlled during bulk transfer. Follow the applicable SDS and workplace hygiene procedures.

Documentation for Supplier Qualification

Depending on the grade and application, buyers may request:

• Certificate of Analysis

• Safety Data Sheet

• Technical Data Sheet

• Product specification

• Country-of-origin statement

• Manufacturing-process declaration

• Iodine declaration

• Anti-caking-agent declaration

• Allergen statement

• GMO statement

• Kosher or Halal certificate

• Food-safety certification

• Pharmacopoeial compliance statement

• GMP documentation

• Trace-metal data

• Particle-size distribution

• Change-notification policy

• Packaging specification

Document availability should be confirmed before the order is placed.

What to Include in a Sodium Chloride RFQ

For an accurate quotation, provide:

1. Required grade

2. Intended application

3. NaCl assay and reporting basis

4. Maximum moisture

5. Calcium, magnesium and sulfate limits

6. Maximum insoluble matter

7. Required particle-size distribution

8. Iodized or non-iodized requirement

9. Permitted anti-caking agent

10. Required food, pharmaceutical or analytical standard

11. Packaging size

12. Order quantity and annual demand

13. Delivery country, city or port

14. Required certificates and regulatory documents

Frequently Asked Questions About Sodium Chloride

What is Sodium Chloride?

Sodium Chloride is an inorganic ionic compound composed of sodium and chloride ions in a 1:1 ratio. Its formula is NaCl and its CAS number is 7647-14-5.

Is Sodium Chloride organic or inorganic?

Sodium Chloride is inorganic. It is classified as an inorganic chloride and sodium salt.

Is Sodium Chloride a fine chemical or an intermediate?

Bulk Sodium Chloride is primarily a basic inorganic raw material rather than a fine chemical. In chlor-alkali and chemical manufacturing, it functions as a chemical feedstock or intermediate raw material.

Is industrial salt suitable for food production?

No, unless it has been specifically manufactured, tested and documented as food grade. A high NaCl assay alone does not establish food-grade status.

What is the difference between food-grade and pharmaceutical-grade Sodium Chloride?

Food grade is controlled for food processing and permitted food use. Pharmaceutical grade is tested against an applicable pharmacopoeial or pharmaceutical specification and may require more extensive quality documentation.

Is all food-grade salt iodized?

No. Food-grade sodium chloride may be iodized or non-iodized. The iodine source and concentration should be stated in the product specification.

Does non-iodized salt contain an anti-caking agent?

It may. “Non-iodized” only describes the absence of added iodine. Buyers requiring no additives should request additive-free sodium chloride.

Which Sodium Chloride grade is suitable for chlor-alkali production?

The correct grade depends on the brine-treatment system and electrolyzer. Calcium, magnesium, sulfate, iron and insoluble matter are normally important in addition to NaCl assay.

Which form is best for water softeners?

Compacted tablets, pellets or suitable coarse crystals are commonly used. The ideal form depends on the brine tank, dissolving system and resin-regeneration requirements.

What causes Sodium Chloride to cake?

Caking is usually associated with moisture, humidity, crystal size, compaction and storage conditions. Appropriate packaging and approved anti-caking agents can improve flowability.

Is Sodium Chloride dangerous to transport?

Standard solid sodium chloride is generally transported as non-dangerous goods. However, the current product SDS and applicable local transport rules must always be checked.

Request a Sodium Chloride Quote

Send us your required grade, purity, particle size, additive status, packaging, quantity and destination. We will confirm the applicable specification, available documentation and commercial terms.

For food, pharmaceutical, chlor-alkali or water-treatment applications, include your detailed impurity and compliance requirements so that the correct Sodium Chloride grade can be evaluated.