ampakine
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Ingesting sodium carbonate
Sodium bicarbonate is used in some antacids and you can drink saturated NaHCO3 solution without causing any damage to the esophagus. Sodium carbonate
on the other hand, all the MSDS I've read claim that it corrodes the esophagus to the point that ingestion of it can cause coma and death. Its clear
that ingesting pure NaHCO3 or a saturated solution of it would cause injury but what about more dilute solutions of it? Na2CO3 would make a very
economically viable alternative to OTC antacids. I'd opt for carbonate over bicarbonate because it would neutralise more HCl than bicarbonate which
means you don't need to ingest as many Na+ ions or produce as much CO2 in the stomach. Besides the risk of corroding the esophagus are there any other
reasons why Na2CO3 should not be ingested?
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blogfast25
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Sodium carbonate is simply too alkaline for this purpose.
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LanthanumK
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Sodium hydroxide would work even better to neutralize acid as no CO2 is produced, but it is even more corrosive than sodium carbonate. Sodium
bicarbonate has limited solubility in water which also limits its corrosiveness.
To answer your question: I don't think there are any other reasons besides corroding.
[Edited on 1-7-2011 by LanthanumK]
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mr.crow
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Each sodium ion neutralizes one HCl molecule forming NaCl. The carbonic acid decomposes into CO2 and H2O. So sodium carbonate doesn't have any
advantage other than less CO2. And who doesn't like a good burp?
Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble
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simba
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Don't you think that if sodium carbonate was more suitable antiacid than sodium bicarbonate, someone would have already started using it for this
purpose?? I really don't understand this kind of questions.
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LanthanumK
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Shivas, the user was asking if there are any other adverse effects beside esophagus corrosion that would preclude the use of sodium carbonate as an
antacid. It is obvious that since esophageal corrosion is undesired that no one will use this as an antacid.
hibernating...
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Bot0nist
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Calcium carbonate is used widely as an antacid IIRC. Why need the less useful sodium salt, is it less costly in mass production?
"Calcium carbonate is widely used medicinally as an inexpensive dietary calcium supplement or gastric antacid."
"Calcium carbonate is known among IBS sufferers to help reduce diarrhea."
"Recommended range of 1.2 to 1.5 g daily {snip} Excessive calcium intake can lead to hypercalcemia."
~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_carbonate 
[Edited on 2-7-2011 by Bot0nist]
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LanthanumK
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Yes, the bottle of Tums in my kitchen has calcium carbonate in it. Since calcium carbonate is water-insoluble, it cannot release the CO3(2-) ions,
making it nondamaging.
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simba
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Quote: Originally posted by LanthanumK  | | Shivas, the user was asking if there are any other adverse effects beside esophagus corrosion that would preclude the use of sodium carbonate as an
antacid. It is obvious that since esophageal corrosion is undesired that no one will use this as an antacid. |
Yes...and using sodium carbonate in dilute solutions will make it a less effective antiacid, hence why it is not used.
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