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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 37
Junior Member
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It seems from what I'm reading that bicarbonate of soda is made from Trona, a mineral that contains fluoride. Anyone know anything about Trona? http://www.faqs.org/patents/app/20090238740The first paragraph under description states: "In particular, the invention relates to the preparation of sodium bicarbonate with reduced amount of impurities such as fluoride." Only 'reduced'? Do we have cause for concern with the use of Bicarb of Soda? I emailed a company here in the UK to ask whether their Bicarb of Soda was made using Trona and have yet to receive a reply. Like so many others, I began using it as toothpaste etc. and was about to use it as a hairwash, but after looking at the info I am uncomfortable using it at all. Why, I have to ask myself, did I just trust that bicarb of soda is okay? I have a whole lot of homemade soda bread in the freezer about to go in the bin because I no longer think it's safe to use. Anyone know anything about Trona?
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Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 30,867
Master Elite Member
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Interesting question.
Wonder if a measured amount could be added to water and then have the water tested for fluoride. A control sample could also be tested using the same water without the added soda.
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 37
Junior Member
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It appears they've tested it http://www.de-fluoride.net/1stproceedings/104-108.pdf  and although the table shows small amounts, this is sodium fluoride we're talking here, not naturally occuring calcium fluoride. Another snippet http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9181293I got a reply from the company I emailed and they state that their bicarbonate of soda is not made from Trona. I've emailed them to ask whether it's made from salt and if so, is the salt fluoridated. http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/179578?ref=W_Ask&utm_source=Ask Commercial quantities of baking soda are also produced by this method: soda ash, mined in the form of the ore trona, is dissolved in water and treated with carbon dioxide. Sodium bicarbonate precipitates as a solid from this method: Na2CO3 + CO2 + H2O ? 2 NaHCO3
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 37
Junior Member
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http://www.ehow.com/facts_5733128_bicarbonate-soda-made-from_.html?ref=Track2&utm_source=ask"(upper limb containing biceps and tool used for driving nails home)states that its brand of baking soda is created by dissolving soda ash (from trona) in a liquid (possibly water). Carbon dioxide gas is then "bubbled" into the mixture, causing sodium bicarbonate to form. The sodium bicarbonate quickly solidifies and separates from the rest of the mixture." From "Trona" comment in brackets mine - in place of company name.
Last edited by Herbie; 02/16/10 02:19 PM.
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 37
Junior Member
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Emailed the following company: http://www.sodaash.com/to ask, "Would you let me know whether all the bicarbonate of soda sold across the UK is Solvay processed please and whether it contains sodium fluoride?" So far I've received 2 read receipts on Wednesday February 17th and 1 no read receipt today...how odd.
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Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 30,867
Master Elite Member
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Thanks for keeping us up-to-date. Please let us know what you find out. Thanks!
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 497
Advanced Master Member
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I think you are possibly overreacting. The baking soda I use is mined from Nahcolite, which is just another name for baking soda when it occurs naturally. Both Nahcolite and baking soda are NaHCO3. http://www.naturalsoda.com/ <--- that is the baking soda I use. It does sometimes occur near Trona, which has a formula of Na3(CO3)(HCO3)•2H2O. Trona is used to make washing soda (Sodium Carbonate, as opposed to baking soda, sodium bicarbonate) Most of the other minerals you mention are nearly harmless, and at worst are found in very small trace amounts. A little bit of borax is actually shown in a few studies to prevent fluoride poisoning. This is the process that the baking soda I use goes through...I'm sure there are less natural methods if Nahcolite isn't available. Natural Soda recovers sodium bicarbonate using a process known as solution mining. This involves pumping hot water approximately 1900 feet underground to dissolve the underlying nahcolite beds and return the saturated liquor to the surface. By reducing the temperature of the liquor, sodium bicarbonate is crystallized in solution. Excess water is then removed by high speed centrifuging (spin drying). The resultant damp crystal mass is further dried, screened and packed in accordance with industry designated specifications, while maintaining stringent quality accreditation standards. Product is packaged in 50 lb./25kg bags, 1 ton/metric ton "supersacks," or in bulk, and is transport to our customers by truck or rail. At our present facility, Natural Soda is capable of reliably producing 125,000 tons of sodium bicarbonate per year.
Last edited by gdawson6; 02/24/10 09:43 PM.
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Joined: Feb 2010
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Junior Member
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I did get a response from Solvay informing me that the following company is responsible for bicarbonate of soda in the UK: http://www.brunnermond.comThe Brunner Mond group owns the Magadi soda company of Kenya. Brunner Mond is wholly owned by Tata Chemicals limited http://www.tatachemicals.com/So...I emailed Tata to ask what the source for the UK's bicarbonate of soda is and I'm still awaiting their reply. The saga continues.
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 37
Junior Member
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I don't overreact...I'm British 
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Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 30,867
Master Elite Member
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British - LOL  I'd like to see how they respond.
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Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 37
Junior Member
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Fraid so...  No reply from tatachemicals to date.
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