BORIC ACID (ORTHO BORIC ACID)

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is a weakly acidic hydrate of boric oxide with mild antiseptic, antifungal, and antiviral properties.
The exact mechanism of action of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is unknown; generally cytotoxic to all cells.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used in the treatment of yeast infections and cold sores.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is an odorless white solid. Melting point 171°C. Sinks and mixes with water.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is a member of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid)s. It has a role as an astringent.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is a conjugate acid of a dihydrogenborate.

CAS Number: 10043-35-3
IUPAC Name: Boric Acid
EC Number: 233-139-2
Chemical Formula: BH3O3

Other names: BORIC ACID, Orthoboric acid, 10043-35-3, Boracic acid, Borofax, Boron hydroxide, Boron trihydroxide, Boric acid (H3BO3), Basilit B, Three Elephant, Boric acid (BH3O3), Trihydroxyborone, 11113-50-1, Flea Prufe, Super Flea Eliminator, Orthoborsaeure, Borsaeure, Borsaure, Trihydroxyborane, Orthoboric acid (B(OH)3), Optibor, Acidum boricum, NCI-C56417, Dr.'s 1 Flea Terminator DT, component of Aci-Jel, Dr.'s 1 Flea Terminator DFPBO, Dr.'s 1 Flea Terminator DF, Bluboro, Boricum acidum, Caswell No. 109, Dr.'s 1 Flea Terminator DTPBO, trihydroxidoboron, Boric acid flakes, B(OH)3, Collyrium Eye Wash, Niban Granular Bait, CCRIS 855, NSC 81726, HSDB 1432, Ant flip, Homberg's salt, Orthoboric acid (H3BO3), EINECS 233-139-2, UNII-R57ZHV85D4, MFCD00011337, NSC-81726, Boric acid (TN), EPA Pesticide Chemical Code 011001, INS NO.284, R57ZHV85D4, CHEBI:33118, AI3-02406, INS-284, H3BO3, DTXSID1020194, E-284, EC 233-139-2, [B(OH)3], NSC81726, NCGC00090745-02, DTXCID10194, (B(OH)3), ortho-boric acid, hydrogen orthoborate, BO3, CAS-10043-35-3, Canagyn, acido borico, Orthoborc acd, V-Bella, HYLAFEM, Blubor, Homeopathic Antifungal, Boric acid ACS grade, GYNOX-SOFT, WLN: QBQQ, Boric acid, ACS reagent, Heptaoxotetra-Borate(2-), bmse000941, CHEMBL42403, HYLAFEMBORICUM ACIDUM 3X, BDBM39817, KGBXLFKZBHKPEV-UHFFFAOYSA-, BCP21018, EINECS 237-478-7, Tox21_111004, Tox21_202185, Tox21_301000, 1332-77-0 (di-potassium salt), MFCD00151271, AKOS015833571, DB11326, USEPA/OPP Pesticide Code: 011001, NCGC00090745-01, NCGC00090745-03, NCGC00090745-04, NCGC00090745-05, NCGC00254902-01, NCGC00259734-01, BP-13473, SY319258, FT-0623166, FT-0623167, InChI=1/BH3O3/c2-1(3)4/h2-4H, NS00013411, D01089, A800201, Q187045, J-000132, J-523836

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) was first prepared by Wilhelm Homberg (1652–1715) from borax, by the action of mineral acids, and was given the name sal sedativum Hombergi ("sedative salt of Homberg"). However borates, including Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid), have been used since the time of the ancient Greeks for cleaning, preserving food, and other activities.reparation
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) may be prepared by reacting borax (sodium tetraborate decahydrate) with a mineral acid, such as hydrochloric acid:
Na2B4O7·10H2O + 2 HCl → 4 B(OH)3 [or H3BO3] + 2 NaCl + 5 H2O

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is also formed as a by product of hydrolysis of boron trihalides and diborane:
B2H6 + 6 H2O → 2 B(OH)3 + 6 H2
BX3 + 3 H2O → B(OH)3 + 3 HX (X = Cl, Br, I)

Properties
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is soluble in boiling water.
When heated above 170 °C, it dehydrates, forming metaBoric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) (HBO2):
H3BO3 → HBO2 + H2O

MetaBoric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is a white, cubic crystalline solid and is only slightly soluble in water. MetaBoric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) melts at about 236 °C, and when heated above about 300 °C further dehydrates, forming tetraBoric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid), also called pyroBoric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) (H2B4O7):
4 HBO2 → H2B4O7 + H2O

The term Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) may sometimes refer to any of these compounds.
Further heating (to about 330 °C) leads to boron trioxide.
H2B4O7 → 2 B2O3 + H2O

There are conflicting interpretations for the origin of the acidity of aqueous Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) solutions.
Raman spectroscopy of strongly alkaline solutions has shown the presence of B(OH)−4 ion, leading some to conclude that the acidity is exclusively due to the abstraction of OH− from water:

B(OH)3 + H2O ⇌ B(OH)−4 + H+ (K = 7.3×10−10; pK = 9.14) or more properly expressed in the aqueous solution:
B(OH)3 + 2 H2O ⇌ B(OH)−4 + H3O+

This may be characterized as Lewis acidity of boron toward OH−, rather than as Brønsted acidity.
Polyborate anions are formed at pH 7–10 if the boron concentration is higher than about 0.025 mol/L.
The best known of these is the 'tetraborate' ion, found in the mineral borax:
4 [B(OH)4]− + 2 H+ ⇌ [B4O5(OH)4]2− + 7 H2O

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) makes an important contribution to the absorption of low frequency sound in seawater.

Molecular and crystal structure
The three oxygen atoms form a trigonal planar geometry around the boron.
The B-O bond length is 136 pm and the O-H is 97 pm. The molecular point group is C3h.
Crystalline Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) consists of layers of B(OH)3 molecules held together by hydrogen bonds of length 272 pm.
The distance between two adjacent layers is 318 pm.

Toxicology
Based on mammalian median lethal dose (LD50) rating of 2,660 mg/kg body mass, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is only poisonous if taken internally or inhaled in large quantities. The Fourteenth Edition of the Merck Index indicates that the LD50 of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is 5.14 g/kg for oral dosages given to rats, and that 5 to 20 g/kg has produced death in adult humans. For comparison's sake, the LD50 of salt is reported to be 3.75 g/kg in rats according to the Merck Index.

According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, "The minimal lethal dose of ingested boron (as Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid)) was reported to be 2–3 g in infants, 5–6 g in children, and 15–20 g in adults.
However, a review of 784 human poisonings with Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) (10–88 g) reported no fatalities, with 88% of cases being asymptomatic."
Long-term exposure to Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) may be of more concern, causing kidney damage and eventually kidney failure.
Although it does not appear to be carcinogenic, studies in dogs have reported testicular atrophy after exposure to 32 mg/kg bw/day for 90 days.
This level is far lower than the LD50.

According to the CLH report for Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) published by the Bureau for Chemical Substances Lodz, Poland, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) in high doses shows significant developmental toxicity and teratogenicity in rabbit, rat, and mouse fetuses as well as cardiovascular defects, skeletal variations, and mild kidney lesions.

At a 2010 European Diagnostics Manufacturing Association (EDMA) Meeting, several new additions to the Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) candidate list in relation to the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals Regulations 2007 (REACH) were discussed. Following the registration and review completed as part of REACH, the classification of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) CAS 10043-35-3 / 11113-50-1 is listed from 1 December 2010 is H360FD (May damage fertility. May damage the unborn child.)

Uses
Industrial
The primary industrial use of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is in the manufacture of monofilament fiberglass usually referred to as textile fiberglass. Textile fiberglass is used to reinforce plastics in applications that range from boats, to industrial piping to computer circuit boards.
In the jewelry industry, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is often used in combination with denatured alcohol to reduce surface oxidation and firescale from forming on metals during annealing and soldering operations.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used in the production of the glass in LCD flat panel displays.

In electroplating, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used as part of some proprietary formulas. One such known formula calls for about a 1 to 10 ratio of H3BO3 to NiSO4, a very small portion of sodium lauryl sulfate and a small portion of H2SO4.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid), mixed with borax (sodium tetraborate decahydrate) at the weight ratio of 4:5, is highly soluble in water, though they are not so soluble separately.
The solution is used for fire retarding agent of wood by impregnation.
It is also used in the manufacturing of ramming mass, a fine silica-containing powder used for producing induction furnace linings and ceramics.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is one of the most commonly used substances that can counteract the harmful effects of reactive hydrofluoric acid (HF) after an accidental contact with the skin.
It works by forcing the free F− anions into complex salts. This process defeats the extreme toxicity of hydrofluoric acid, particularly its ability to sequester ionic calcium from blood serum which can lead to cardiac arrest and bone decomposition; such an event can occur from just minor skin contact with HF.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is added to borax for use as welding flux by blacksmiths.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid), in combination with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or silicone oil, is used to manufacture Silly Putty.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is also present in the list of chemical additives used for hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the Marcellus Shale in Pennsylvania.
Indeed, it is often used in conjonction with guar gum as cross-linking and gelling agent for controlling the viscosity and the rheology of the fracking fluid injected at high pressure in the well. Indeed, it is important to control the fluid viscosity for keeping in suspension on long transport distances the grains of the propping agents aimed at maintaining the cracks in the shales sufficiently open to facilitate the gas extraction after the hydraulic pressure is relieved.
The rheological properties of borate cross-linked guar gum hydrogel mainly depend on the pH value.

Medical
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can be used as an antiseptic for minor burns or cuts and is sometimes used in salves and dressings, such as boracic lint. Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is applied in a very dilute solution as an eye wash. Dilute Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can be used as a vaginal douche to treat bacterial vaginosis due to excessive alkalinity,as well as candidiasis due to non-albicans candida.As an antibacterial compound, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can also be used as an acne treatment. It is also used as prevention of athlete's foot, by inserting powder in the socks or stockings. Various preparations can be used to treat some kinds of otitis externa (ear infection) in both humans and animals. The preservative in urine sample bottles in the UK is Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid).

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) solutions used as an eye wash or on abraded skin are known to be toxic, particularly to infants, especially after repeated use; this is because of its slow elimination rate.

Insecticidal
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) was first registered in the US as an insecticide in 1948 for control of cockroaches, termites, fire ants, fleas, silverfish, and many other insects.
The product is generally considered to be safe to use in household kitchens to control cockroaches and ants. It acts as a stomach poison affecting the insects' metabolism, and the dry powder is abrasive to the insects' exoskeletons. Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) also has the reputation as "the gift that keeps on killing" in that cockroaches that cross over lightly dusted areas do not die immediately, but that the effect is like shards of glass cutting them apart. This often allows a roach to go back to the nest where it soon dies. Cockroaches, being cannibalistic, eat others killed by contact or consumption of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid), consuming the powder trapped in the dead roach and killing them, too.

Preservation
In combination with its use as an insecticide, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) also prevents and destroys existing wet and dry rot in timbers.
It can be used in combination with an ethylene glycol carrier to treat external wood against fungal and insect attack. It is possible to buy borate-impregnated rods for insertion into wood via drill holes where dampness and moisture is known to collect and sit. It is available in a gel form and injectable paste form for treating rot affected wood without the need to replace the timber. Concentrates of borate-based treatments can be used to prevent slime, mycelium, and algae growth, even in marine environments.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is added to salt in the curing of cattle hides, calfskins, and sheepskins.
This helps to control bacterial development, and helps to control insects.

pH buffer
Distribution between Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) and borate ion versus pH assuming pKa = 9.0 (e.g. salt-water swimming pool)
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) predominates in solution below pH 9
Buffer capacity of the Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) - borate system versus pH assuming pKa = 9.0 (e.g. salt-water swimming pool)
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) buffers against rising pH in swimming pools
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) in equilibrium with its conjugate base the borate ion is widely used (in the concentration range 50 - 100 ppm boron equivalents) as a primary or adjunct pH buffer system in swimming pools.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is a weak acid, with pKa (the pH at which buffering is strongest because the free acid and borate ion are in equal concentrations) of 9.24 in pure water at 25 °C. But apparent pKa is substantially lower in swimming pool or ocean waters because of interactions with various other molecules in solution.

It will be around 9.0 in a salt-water pool.
No matter which form of soluble boron is added, within the acceptable range of pH and boron concentration for swimming pools, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is the predominant form in aqueous solution, as shown in the accompanying figure.
The Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) - borate system can be useful as a primary buffer system (substituting for the bicarbonate system with pKa1 = 6.0 and pKa2 = 9.4 under typical salt-water pool conditions) in pools with salt-water chlorine generators that tend to show upward drift in pH from a working range of pH 7.5 - 8.2.

Buffer capacity is greater against rising pH (towards the pKa around 9.0), as illustrated in the accompanying graph.
The use of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) in this concentration range does not allow any reduction in free HOCl concentration needed for pool sanitation, but it may add marginally to the photo-protective effects of cyanuric acid and confer other benefits through anti-corrosive activity or perceived water softness, depending on overall pool solute composition.

Appearance: White crystalline solid
Density: 1.435 g/cm3
Melting point: 170.9 °C
Boiling point: 300 °C

Molecular Weight: 61.84 g/mol
Hydrogen Bond Donor Count: 3
Hydrogen Bond Acceptor Count: 3
Rotatable Bond Count: 0

Exact Mass: 62.0175241 g/mol
Monoisotopic Mass: 62.0175241 g/mol
Topological Polar Surface Area: 60.7Å²
Heavy Atom Count: 4

Formal Charge: 0
Complexity: 8
Isotope Atom Count: 0
Defined Atom Stereocenter Count: 0

Undefined Atom Stereocenter Count: 0
Defined Bond Stereocenter Count: 0
Undefined Bond Stereocenter Count: 0
Covalently-Bonded Unit Count: 1
Compound Is Canonicalized: Yes

Lubrication
Colloidal suspensions of nanoparticles of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) dissolved in petroleum or vegetable oil can form a remarkable lubricant on ceramic or metal surfaces with a coefficient of sliding friction that decreases with increasing pressure to a value ranging from 0.10 to 0.02.
Self-lubricating H3BO3 films result from a spontaneous chemical reaction between water molecules and B2O3 coatings in a humid environment.
In bulk-scale, an inverse relationship exists between friction coefficient and Hertzian contact pressure induced by applied load.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used to lubricate carrom and novuss boards, allowing for faster play.

Nuclear power
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used in some nuclear power plants as a neutron poison.
The boron in Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) reduces the probability of thermal fission by absorbing some thermal neutrons.
Fission chain reactions are generally driven by the probability that free neutrons will result in fission and is determined by the material and geometric properties of the reactor.

Natural boron consists of approximately 20% boron-10 and 80% boron-11 isotopes.
Boron-10 has a high cross-section for absorption of low energy (thermal) neutrons.
By increasing Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) concentration in the reactor coolant, the probability that a neutron will cause fission is reduced.
Changes in Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) concentration can effectively regulate the rate of fission taking place in the reactor.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used only in pressurized water reactors (PWRs) whereas boiling water reactors (BWRs) employ control rod pattern and coolant flow for power control.
BWRs use an aqueous solution of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) and borax or sodium pentaborate for an emergency shut down system.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) may be dissolved in spent fuel pools used to store spent fuel elements.
The concentration is high enough to keep neutron multiplication at a minimum. Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) was dumped over Reactor 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant after its meltdown to prevent another reaction from occurring.

Pyrotechnics
Boron is used in pyrotechnics to prevent the amide-forming reaction between aluminum and nitrates.
A small amount of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is added to the composition to neutralize alkaline amides that can react with the aluminum.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can be used as a colorant to make fire green. For example, when dissolved in methanol it is popularly used by fire jugglers and fire spinners to create a deep green flame much stronger than copper sulfate.
Agriculture
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used to treat or prevent boron deficiencies in plants. It is also used in preservation of grains such as rice and wheat.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid), also known as boracic acid or orthoBoric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid), is a naturally occurring compound containing the elements boron, oxygen, and hydrogen (H3BO3).
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) crystals are white, odorless, and nearly tasteless.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) looks like fine table salt in the granular form or like baby powder in the powdered form.

Borates, the general term associated with boron containing minerals such as borax and Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid), most commonly originate in dried salt lakebeds of deserts or arid areas
(such as Death Valley, CA, Turkey, and China) or other geographic regions that expose similar deposits (such as the Andes Mountains in South America).

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) crystals were first man-made in 1702 by Wilhelm Homberg who mixed borax and mineral acids with water.
The evaporating water left crystals of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) and was often called “Homberg’s salt.”
European researchers soon discovered the compound’s properties as a mild antiseptic and eyewash.

James Wright, a General Electric engineer searching for rubber substitutes during WWII, came upon a remarkable new material by mixing silicone oil with Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid).
The new compound had unique properties, acting very much like rubber.
It could be stretched to many times its length without breaking and bounced 25% higher than a normal rubber ball.
It could even pick up the images of most printed material.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is one of the most commonly produced borates and is widely used throughout the world in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, as a nutritional supplement,
flame retardant, in the manufacture of glass and fiberglass, and in the production of wood preservatives to control pests and fungus.
During the first world war, a variety of antiseptic solutions were used to treat the wounds of injured soldiers.
One of the most common was prepared by dissolving dry sodium carbonate and bleaching powder in tap water, filtering the solution to remove the calcium carbonate that precipitated, and finally adding Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid), a mild antiseptic.
The English organic chemist Henry Dakin described the preparation in the British Medical Journal in August 1915.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is a white waxy solid that occurs naturally as sassolite, a mineral found in Tuscany in Italy and Nevada in the United States.
The acid is manufactured by the reaction of sulfuric or hydrochloric acid with a sodium borate mineral such as borax or kernite, or the calcium borate mineral colemanite.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) on a light background.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is a white waxy solid that occurs naturally as sassolite.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) has a multiplicity of applications.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used, for example, as an oxidation catalyst and in the manufacture of cosmetics, domestic insecticides, and fire retardants for textiles.

The acid is poisonous if ingested in large quantities.
Brief exposure, however, is less dangerous, according to a fact sheet published by the National Pesticide Information Center in the United States.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is low in toxicity if eaten or if it contacts skin, it notes.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid)'s use in antiseptic preparations such as Dakin’s solution has declined over recent decades for a variety of reasons.
The National Health Service in Britain advises that antiseptics should not be used to clean wounds as they may damage the skin.
Tap water or saline solution should be used instead.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is a water-soluble white compound and occurs naturally. It consists of oxygen, boron, and hydrogen. It is claimed to have antifungal and antimicrobial properties. Always consult your healthcare provider before applying Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) to any body part. It is irritating to the skin and may cause severe reactions.

The uses may include:

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is often a part of homeopathic medicines used for treating vaginal discharge and itching.
This medication is a combination of friendly bacteria, vitamin E, and minute amounts of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid).
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is usually used in dilute solutions as a treatment for diaper rash, insect bites and stings, and sunburns.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is an effective pesticide for cockroaches, rats, and flies.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is called a swimming pool chemical because it has proved to be highly useful for maintenance.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can help stabilize the pH level of water and prevent problems with algae.
This product reduces the amount of chlorine needed in the pool.
The compound can help to keep the water clear and sparkling.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is also used for clearing off fungi in the pool water.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is also helpful in treating various types of ear infections in both humans and pets (otitis externa, also called swimmer's ear, is an infection of the outer ear canal).
The use of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) in children is not recommended.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is also helpful in treating foul foot odor.
A person suffering from excessive smelly feet can apply Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) powder mixed with talc to the inner side of footwear.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) when mixed with distilled water serves as a wound spray.
The solution contains antiseptic properties that help in treating minor wounds such as cuts and burns.
This must not be used too frequently.
Urine sample bottles often contain Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) as a preservative, which maintains the quality of the specimen as it travels to the lab.
Clear bottles tend to have a small amount of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) powder at the bottom.
Research shows that the addition of this substance lowers false-positive results.

It also preserves the white blood cells in the urine for analysis.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) helps to get rid of tough stains on clothes by adding it to regular detergent while doing laundry.
They are used to remove dirt and odor from kitchens and bathrooms.
Due to its flame-retardant properties, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is extensively used in the manufacture of furniture, mattresses, and insulation.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is helpful in the preservation of timbers against fungal and insect attack.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used industrially for the manufacture of fiberglass, household glass products, and glass used in liquid crystal display (LCD).
To produce glass with a better chemical and high-temperature resistance, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is applied to glass products.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) serves as an excellent cleaner for all types of mold problems and insects such as ants, cockroaches, silverfish, fleas, and others.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is also used in leather manufacture, and it is used in the jewelry industry in combination with denatured alcohol.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is also used for welding flux by blacksmiths.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid)'s mixture with petroleum or vegetable oil works as an excellent lubricant that can be used on ceramic or metal surfaces.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can also be used to lubricate carrom boards for faster and smooth play.
Manufacturers use Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) in various products such as enamels, pesticides, glazes, and paints.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is widely used to treat boron deficiencies in plants.

Application Notes
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used for weatherproofing wood and fireproofing fabrics; as a preservative; manufacturing of cements, crockery, porcelain, enamels, glass, borates, leather, carpets, hats, soaps, artificial gems; in nickeling baths; cosmetics; printing and dyeing, painting; photography; for impregnating wicks; electric condensers; hardening steel.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is also used as an insecticide for cockroaches and black carpet beetles.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used In the research labs , astringent, antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal agent.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used in buffers and for calibration of polyacrylamide gel columns for the separation of oligonucleotides by capillary electrophoresis.

Usage Statement
Unless specified otherwise, MP Biomedical's products are for research or further manufacturing use only, not for direct human use.
For more information, please contact our customer service department.

Key Applications
Buffer component

Overview
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid), also called boracic acid or orthoBoric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) or Acidum Boricum, is a mild acid often used as an antiseptic, insecticide, flame retardant, in nuclear power plants to control the fission rate of uranium, and as a precursor of other chemical compounds.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) exists in the form of colorless crystals or a white powder and dissolves in water.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) has the chemical formula H3BO3, sometimes written B(OH)3.
When occurring as a mineral, it is called sassolite.

Preparation
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is produced mainly from borate minerals by the reaction with sulfuric acid.
The largest source of borates in the world is an open-pit mine in Boron, California, USA.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) does not dissociate in aqueous solution, but is acidic due to its interaction with water molecules:

B(OH)3 + H2O ⇌ B(OH)4− + H+
Ka = 5.8x10−10 mol/l; pKa = 9.24.
Polyborate anions are formed at pH 7–10 if the boron concentration is higher than about 0.025 mol/L. The best known of these is the tetraborate ion, found in the mineral borax:

4B(OH)4− + 2H+ ⇌ B4O72− + 9H2O
Crystal structure
Crystalline Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) consists of layers of B(OH)3 molecules held together by hydrogen bonds. The distance between two adjacent layers is 318 pm.

However, it is toxic to unborn infants, and on the testicles of boys.
Also, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) has been associated with low birth weight, eye malformations and problems with the nervous system.

Uses
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can be used as an antiseptic for minor burns or cuts and is sometimes used in dressings or salves or is applied in a very dilute solution as an eye wash. (1.5% solution or 1 tbsp per quart of boiled water has been suggested for the latter.)
As an anti-bacterial compound, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can also be used as an acne treatment. Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can be used to treat yeast and fungal infections such as candidiasis by inserting a vaginal suppository containing 600 mg of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) daily for 14 days (PMID 10865926).
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is also used as prevention of athlete's foot, by inserting powder in the socks or stockings, and in solution can be used to treat some kinds of otitis externa (ear infection) in both humans and animals. The preservative in urine sample bottles (red cap) in the UK is Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid).

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) has the distinction of being the only known acid that is actually beneficial (rather than harmful) to the eyes, and as such is used by ophthalmologists and in some commercial eye drops.

Insecticidal use
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) was first registered as an insecticide in 1948 by the EPA for control of cockroaches, termites, fire ants, fleas, silverfish, and many other insects.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) acts as a stomach poison affecting the insects' metabolism, and the dry powder is abrasive to the insects' exoskeleton.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) may be used either in an insect bait formulation containing a feed attractant or as a dry powder.
The powder may be injected into cracks and crevices, where it forms a fine layer of dust.
Insects travel through the Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) dust, which adheres to their legs. When the insects groom themselves, they then ingest the poison, which causes death three to ten days later of starvation and dehydration.

Preservative Use
In combination with its use as an insecticide it also prevents and destroys existing wet and dry rot in timbers.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can be used in combination with an ethylene glycol carrier to treat external wood against fungal and insect attack.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is possible to buy Borate impregnated rods for insertion into wood via drill holes where damp and moisture is known to collect and sit.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is available in a gel form and injectable paste form for treating rot affected wood without the need to replace the timber.
You can buy concentrates of Borate based timber treatments which can be sprayed or dipped.
Surface treatments prevent slime, mycelium and algae growth even in marine environments.
There is a wide range of manufacturers of wood preservers based on Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid)/ borate mineral salts.

Industrial uses
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used in nuclear power plants to slow down the rate at which fission is occurring.
Fission chain reactions are generally driven by the amount of neutrons present (as products from previous fissions).
Natural Boron is 20% Boron-10 and about 80% Boron-11.
Boron-10 has a high cross-section for absorption of low energy (thermal) neutrons.

By adding more Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) to the reactor coolant which circulates through the reactor, the probability that a neutron can survive to cause fission is reduced.
Therefore, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) concentration changes effectively regulate the rate of fissions taking place in the reactor.
This is only done in Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR's).
Boron is also dissolved into the spent fuel pools containing used uranium rods. The concentration is high enough to keep fissions at a minimum.

In the jewelry industry, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is often used in combination with denatured alcohol to reduce surface oxidation and firescale from forming on metals during annealing and soldering operations.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is also used in the manufacturing of remming mass, a fine silica-containing powder used for producing induction furnace linings and ceramics.

Miscellaneous uses
Borates including Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) have been used since the time of the Greeks for cleaning, preserving food, and other activities.

Silly Putty was originally made by adding Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) to silicone oil.
Now name-brand Silly Putty also contains significant amounts of elemental silicon (silicon binds to the silicone and allows the material to bounce 20% higher).

Lithium borate is the lithium salt of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) and is used in the laboratory as buffer for gel.
TBE buffer is widely used for the electrophoresis of nucleic acids and has a higher buffer capacity than a TAE Buffer.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can be used for DNA and RNA polyacrylamide and agarose gel electrophoresis.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used in pyrotechnics to prevent the amide-forming reaction between aluminum and nitrates.
A small amount of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is added to the composition to neutralize alkaline amides that can react with the aluminum.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is popularly used among fire jugglers and fire spinners dissolved in methanol to give a deep green flame.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is also used in India and across the world to dust down Carrom boards to decrease friction and increase speed of play.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is also used in special effects.
When Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is combined with an alcohol (usually ethanol), it produces a green flame when burned.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) (H3BO3) also called hydrogen borate, boracic acid,
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) (H3BO3) is a weak acid of boron often used as an antiseptic, insecticide, flame retardant, neutron absorber, or precursor to other chemical compounds.
When occurring as a mineral, it is called sassolite.
If necessary, the person should shower and change contaminated clothing and shoes, and then must seek medical attention.

What is Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) and its use?
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) (H3BO3) is an antiseptic, pesticide and a weak fungicide.
It always be used for insect control, wood preservative in furniture industry, glass industry and also in medical field.

What is preservative?
Preservative means any substances that, when added to food, is capable of inhibiting, retarding or arresting the process of decomposition, fermentation or acidification of such food but shall not include herb, spice, vinegar or wood smoke.

What are the preservative that allowed in Food Regulations 1985?

Food Regulations 1985 only allowed certain preservatives (sulphur dioxide, benzoic acid; propionic acid, also its sodium, potassium, calcium salt; sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite,
potassium nitrate and potassium nitrite) and antimicrobial (chlorine dioxide and hydrogen peroxide) in certain food. Hence, oric acid is not included in the list.

What are the foods that always contain Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid)?
Although Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is not allowed in food, it had been found in pasta type of food such as yellow noodles, kueh teow, laksa, loh se fun, wantan noodles, Hokkien noodles, bee hoon,
spring roll wrappers and bak chang.

The presence of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) in food or food product is due to unethical attitude of some greedy food producer without considering the safety aspect of food to the consumer.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used by these food producers to extend the product shelf-life and its freshness.

What are the side effects if Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) present in food?
Individuals who ate food that contained high level of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) will experience nausea, vomiting diarrhea, dermatitis, abnormal function of kidney, acute dysfunction of blood circulation and death, depends to the level of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) absorbed by the body.

How to detect the presence of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) in the foods?

Analysis using turmeric water is a crude test to detect the presence of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid), however the test is not a confirmatory test.
It can give a false positive result.
In mee processing for example, additional of soda water (Natrium bicarbonate) have been used to get the expected texture.
The reaction between soda water and turmeric can cause a changing of color from yellow to red.
Therefore, the presence of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can only be confirm through lab analysis.

Consumers are advised not to use turmeric water as a test to verify the presence of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid).
Consumers should report to any nearest District Health Ofiice, State Health Department
or through Food Safety and Quality Division website (http://fsq.moh.gov.my) pertaining to suspicious of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) presence in food.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is a weak inorganic acid with antiseptic properties, and is also called boracic acid or orthoBoric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid).
Formula and structure: The chemical formula of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is H3BO3 (or B(OH)3).
Its molecular formula is BH3O3, and its molar mass is 61.83 g/mol.

The central boron atom is connected to three hydroxyl (-OH) groups, which are capable of strong hydrogen bonding.
Its solid crystalline structure consists of parallel layers of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) held together in place by hydrogen bonds.

Occurrence: Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) occurs naturally in volcanic areas, and in certain minerals such as borax (as sassolite).
It is also found in sea water, plants, and fruits in small amounts.

Preparation: Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is prepared by reacting minerals such as borax (Na2B4O7·10H2O), with strong acids like HCl:
Na2B4O7·10H2O + 2 HCl → 4 H3BO3 + 2 NaCl + 5 H2O

It can also be prepared by the hydrolysis of boron trihalides (such as BBr3) or diborane (B2H6):
BBr3 + 3 H2O → B(OH)3 + 3 HBr
B2H6 + 6 H2O → 2 B(OH)3 + 6 H2

Physical properties: Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is a white crystalline solid with a density of 1.435 g/mL, melting point of 170.9 °C and boiling point of 300 °C.

Chemical properties: Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is a weak monobasic acid, and is considered a Lewis acid.
It dissolves in boiling water and in anhydrous sulfuric acid. When heated to high temperatures (over 170 °C), it undergoes dehydration to form metaBoric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) (HBO2):
H3BO3 → HBO2 + H2O

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is non-toxic with antibacterial properties, and it is mainly used as an antiseptic agent, acne treatment, preservative, insecticide, pH buffer, swimming pool chemical, flame retardant, and a precursor to many useful chemicals.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used industrially for the manufacture of fiberglass, household glass products and the glass used in LCD displays.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) and its sodium borate salts are pesticides that we can find in nature and many products.
Borax is one of the most common products.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) and its sodium salts each combine boron with other elements in a different way.
In general, their toxicities each depend on the amount of boron they contain.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) and its sodium salts can be used to control a wide variety of pests.
These include insects, spiders, mites, algae, molds, fungi, and weeds.
Products that contain Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) have been registered for use in the United States since 1948.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can kill insects if they eat it.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) disrupts their stomach and can affect their nervous system.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can also scratch and damage the exterior of insects.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) and borax, a sodium borate salt, can kill plants by causing them to dry out.

Sodium metaborate, another sodium borate salt, stops plants from producing the energy they need from light.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can also stop the growth of fungi, such as mold.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) prevents them from reproducing.

You can be exposed if you are applying Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) and you get it on your skin, in your eyes, breathe it in, or accidentally eat a product.
This can also happen if you get some on your hands and eat or smoke without washing your hands first.
Exposures can also occur if products are accessible to children or pets.
You can limit your exposure to Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) by following all label instructions carefully.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is low in toxicity if eaten or if it contacts skin.
However, in the form of borax, it can be corrosive to the eye.
Borax can also be irritating to the skin.
People who have eaten Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) have had nausea, vomiting, stomach aches, and diarrhea.
Diarrhea and vomit may have a blue-green color.
Eating extreme amounts has resulted in a red, "boiled lobster" like skin rash, followed by skin loss.

People who breathed in borax had a dry mouth, nose, and throat.
Coughing, sore throat, shortness of breath, and nose bleeds have also been reported.
Infants are more sensitive to pesticide exposures.
Some infants that ate large amounts of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) also had nervous system effects.
These include abnormal postures, convulsions, confusion, and coma.

They are also used in outdoor residential areas, sewage systems, and on food and non-food crops.
There are over five hundred products with Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) sold in the United States.
Several non-pesticide products containing Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) include soil amendments, fertilizers, household cleaners, laundry detergents, and personal care products.

What happens to Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) when it enters the body?
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can absorb rapidly into the body if eaten.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is absorbed poorly by skin contact unless the skin is damaged.
Studies with workers and rats showed that Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can also be absorbed if inhaled.

However, it is not clear how much is directly absorbed in the lungs and how much is cleared from the lungs and swallowed.
Once inside, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) generally moves evenly throughout the body.
However, it can be stored in bone and is generally found at lower levels in fatty tissues.
There is no evidence that Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is broken down in the body.
The majority of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) in the body is eliminated in the urine within four days.

Consumer Uses
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used in the following products:
Washing & cleaning products, anti-freeze products, heat transfer fluids, lubricants and greases, adhesives and sealants, laboratory chemicals, textile treatment products and dyes, water treatment chemicals and fillers, putties, plasters, modelling clay.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) has an industrial use resulting in manufacture of another substance (use of intermediates).

Other release to the environment of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is likely to occur from:
Indoor use (e.g. machine wash liquids/detergents, automotive care products, paints and coating or adhesives, fragrances and air fresheners), outdoor use, indoor use in long-life materials with low release rate (e.g. flooring, furniture, toys, construction materials, curtains, foot-wear, leather products, paper and cardboard products, electronic equipment) and outdoor use in long-life materials with low release rate (e.g. metal, wooden and plastic construction and building materials).

Release to the environment of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can occur from industrial use:
Manufacturing of the substance, as an intermediate step in further manufacturing of another substance (use of intermediates), as processing aid, formulation of mixtures, in the production of articles and formulation in materials.
Other release to the environment of this substance is likely to occur from:
Indoor use (e.g. machine wash liquids/detergents, automotive care products, paints and coating or adhesives, fragrances and air fresheners).

Uses
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is non-toxic with antibacterial properties, and it is mainly used as an antiseptic agent, acne treatment, preservative, insecticide, pH buffer, swimming pool chemical, flame retardant, and a precursor to many useful chemicals.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is used industrially for the manufacture of fiberglass, household glass products and the glass used in LCD displays.

Health Effects
Low concentrations of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) does not pose any toxicity.
However, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is poisonous if swallowed or inhaled in large quantities.
High concentrations of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can potentially lead to reproductive problems.
Exposure to Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) over long periods of time can cause possible kidney damage.

What is Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid)?
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) and its sodium borate salts are pesticides that we can find in nature and many products.
Borax is one of the most common products.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) and its sodium salts each combine boron with other elements in a different way.
In general, their toxicities each depend on the amount of boron they contain.

What are some products that contain Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid)?
Products containing Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can be liquids, granules, pellets, tablets, wettable powders, dusts, rods, or baits.
They are used indoors in places like homes, hospitals and commercial buildings.
They are also used in outdoor residential areas, sewage systems, and on food and non-food crops.
There are over five hundred products with Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) sold in the United States.
Several non-pesticide products containing Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) include soil amendments, fertilizers, household cleaners, laundry detergents, and personal care products.

Always follow label instructions and take steps to minimize exposure.
If any exposures occur, be sure to follow the First Aid instructions on the product label carefully.
For additional treatment advice, contact the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.
If you wish to discuss a pesticide problem, please call 1-800-858-7378.

How does Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) work?
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can kill insects if they eat it.
It disrupts their stomach and can affect their nervous system.
It can also scratch and damage the exterior of insects.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) and borax, a sodium borate salt, can kill plants by causing them to dry out.
Sodium metaborate, another sodium borate salt, stops plants from producing the energy they need from light.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can also stop the growth of fungi, such as mold.
It prevents them from reproducing.

How might I be exposed to Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid)?
You can be exposed if you are applying Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) and you get it on your skin, in your eyes, breathe it in, or accidentally eat a product.
This can also happen if you get some on your hands and eat or smoke without washing your hands first.
Exposures can also occur if products are accessible to children or pets.
You can limit your exposure to Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) by following all label instructions carefully.

What are some signs and symptoms from a brief exposure to Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid)?
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is low in toxicity if eaten or if it contacts skin.
However, in the form of borax, it can be corrosive to the eye. Borax can also be irritating to the skin.
People who have eaten Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) have had nausea, vomiting, stomach aches, and diarrhea.

Diarrhea and vomit may have a blue-green color.
Eating extreme amounts has resulted in a red, "boiled lobster" like skin rash, followed by skin loss.
People who breathed in borax had a dry mouth, nose, and throat.

Coughing, sore throat, shortness of breath, and nose bleeds have also been reported.
Infants are more sensitive to pesticide exposures.
Some infants that ate large amounts of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) also had nervous system effects.
These include abnormal postures, convulsions, confusion, and coma.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) affects animals in a similar way.
If eaten, signs of poisoning in animals can start within 2 hours.
See the fact sheet on Pets and Pesticide Use for more information.

What happens to Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) when it enters the body?
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can absorb rapidly into the body if eaten.
It is absorbed poorly by skin contact unless the skin is damaged.
Studies with workers and rats showed that Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can also be absorbed if inhaled.
However, it is not clear how much is directly absorbed in the lungs and how much is cleared from the lungs and swallowed.

Once inside, Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) generally moves evenly throughout the body.
However, it can be stored in bone and is generally found at lower levels in fatty tissues.
There is no evidence that Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is broken down in the body.
The majority of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) in the body is eliminated in the urine within four days.

Is Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) likely to contribute to the development of cancer?
No. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concluded that Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans.
In some experiments, mice and rats were fed Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) and borax for two years.
No evidence that Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) or borax causes cancer was found.

Has anyone studied non-cancer effects from long-term exposure to Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid)?
Studies with workers breathing borax showed no long-term respiratory effects.
However, long-term ingestion of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) has resulted in vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and stomach pain.
This is often followed by headaches, fever, tremors, twitching, a lack of energy, and weakness.
Skin rashes, peeling and ulcers have also been reported.
Severe cases of long-term ingestion have caused coma, seizures, the halting of blood circulation, liver and kidney dysfunction, a low red blood cell count and death.

Are children more sensitive to Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) than adults?
Children may be especially sensitive to pesticides compared to adults.
Seizures and death have been reported more often in infants exposed long-term to Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) than adults.
In the 1960's, several infant deaths were reported after improperly labeled Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) disinfectants were accidentally used in infant formulas.

In the 1970's and 80's, the use of a gum soothing product containing borax and honey on pacifiers resulted in several reports of seizures in infants.
However, data which allows for direct comparison of children and adults is not available.
Therefore, it is not clear whether children have increased sensitivity specifically to Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid).

Children have different behaviors than adults that can put them at greater risk.
They may crawl or play on the floor and put their hands or other items in their mouths.
For this reason, many Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) products require that they be applied in places out of children's reach.
Consider getting down to your child's level to confirm after an application.
Always carefully read and follow the label.

What happens to Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) in the environment?
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) naturally occurs in the environment.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can be found in soil, water, and plants.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) dissolves in water and can move with water through the soil.

Under certain soil conditions it can reach ground water.
However, its mobility in soil depends on pH and the presence of some metals.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) can also be taken up from the soil by plants.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) moves through plants into their leaves.

Once there, it generally becomes stuck and does not move into the fruit.
Plants need boron, a major component of Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid), to grow.
However, too much boron can be toxic to plants affecting their growth.
Citrus, stone fruits, and nut trees are most sensitive to boron.

Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) does not emit vapors into the atmosphere.
Particles that get into the air do not break down.
They settle to the ground or are removed by rain.

Can Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) affect birds, fish, or other wildlife?
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is practically non-toxic to birds.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is slightly toxic to practically non-toxic to freshwater fish.
Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is practically non-toxic to frogs and toads and aquatic life, such as waterfleas.
The U.S. EPA concluded that Boric Acid (Ortho Boric Acid) is relatively nontoxic to bees.