# Purity of oxalic



## dynemd (Aug 27, 2013)

You can purchase a wide variety of purities of oxalic acid from wood bleach to high purity chemical reagents depending on what you want. Are you looking for oxalic acid standards for treating bees?


----------



## Bees of SC (Apr 12, 2013)

:waiting:opcorn:


----------



## erlaita (Jan 17, 2015)

> Are you looking for oxalic acid standards for treating bees?


Yes, I look just that. I have oxalic with purity of 99.5%, is enough? I suppose there are any rules that specify these limits.


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

erlaita said:


> I have oxalic with purity of 99.5%, is enough? I suppose there are any rules that specify these limits.


This should do just fine, I have been using this level of purity for a number of years now and have never had a problem. There is no rule of purity limits for hives that I am aware of.


----------



## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

erlaita said:


> Hello,
> I would like to meet some standard that specifies the required purity for oxalic used in treatments for varroa mite. I would also like to know the limits for the residues such as heavy metals.
> Who regulates all that?


Brushy Mountain, which is the only legally authorized seller of OA for use in beehives, has the purity marked on their label as 97%


----------



## minz (Jan 15, 2011)

I was also wondering if I could mix it to a certain amount of water and measure the SG (specific gravity) or the PH? I have had such a huge variation on the Formic acid concentration I no longer believe what I get in a bag or the existing potency of it.


----------



## Sky (Jul 7, 2015)

I've been using "Daly's Wood Bleach" from the paint section at the local hardware store - Ingredients are "Oxalic Acid Crystals"... nothing else listed. I doubt this is anywhere close to "pure" as it is intended as an industrial cleaner/bleach- certainly not pharma/food/lab grade, however, I have not observed any negative effects (other than a few bees that tried to investigate the vaporizer while it was hot) when using this on my hives. 
I'd love to have 100% pure, just because it would make me feel better, however, if it came down to treating with less than "pure" vs not treating...... I'd treat - and now is the time..... 


Sky


----------



## HarryVanderpool (Apr 11, 2005)

Sky said:


> however, if it came down to treating with less than "pure" vs not treating...... I'd treat - and now is the time.....Sky


And here's a second opinion....
"The time" was nearly one month ago in the PNW.
We started treating in late July and finished on the 8th of Aug.
Untreated hives at this time ( Sept 1) have SKYROCKETING varroa numbers and parasitized winter bees produced as a result.


----------



## dynemd (Aug 27, 2013)

Here's some ACS certified 99.5% pure for $287 for a pound (500gms). I don't think you will find purer.
http://www.fishersci.com/shop/produ...certified-acs-fisher-chemical-4/p-177252#tab2


----------



## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

dynemd said:


> Here's some ACS certified 99.5% pure for $287 for a pound (500gms). I don't think you will find purer.
> http://www.fishersci.com/shop/produ...certified-acs-fisher-chemical-4/p-177252#tab2


OR more expensive!! :lookout:


----------



## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Sky said:


> I'd love to have 100% pure, just because it would make me feel better..


Don't feel too bad. Savogran wood bleach is GT 95 % pure which is way more than adequate.


----------



## loghousebees (Jun 13, 2014)

Here's a link to Amazon for 99% pure. http://www.amazon.com/Oxalic-Acid-99%25-bag-C2H2O4/dp/B007HUR0EK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1441070275&sr=8-1&keywords=oxalic+acid


----------



## allniter (Aug 22, 2011)

snl ---is there a self live on ---OXALIC- ACID


----------



## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

...only if mites have a sense of self ('to bee or nOT to bee). I think they are a bit more like Borg.


----------



## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

allniter said:


> snl ---is there a self live on ---OXALIC- ACID


I'm guessing you mean " shelf life. If kept sealed and dry, no.


----------



## Little-John (Jun 18, 2015)

The impurities of commercial grade OA are mostly iron salts, so if you're vapourising OA there's no need to worry, as these stay behind in the pan - and can usually be seen as a small (more like microscopic ...) residue of ash.
LJ


----------



## WWW (Feb 6, 2011)

Thanks LJ,
I have always been a bit curious about what the impurities actually were.


----------

