Questions About the Odor and Price of Magnesium Chloride When Dissolved in Water

1. What gas is produced when magnesium chloride is dissolved in water?

Recently, while browsing Douyin, the editor from Yuze Magnesium Chloride Factory found a problem: some users (not our customers) smelled a strong pungent odor when dissolving magnesium chloride in water. Is this normal? And what gas is produced?Here we refer to magnesium chloride hexahydrate, not anhydrous magnesium chloride.

After consulting relevant materials and our factory’s technical team, we conclude that the causes of the odor are as follows:1.1 Problems with production technology and raw materialsFor example, by-product magnesium chloride, which is processed from residual materials of other chemical products (such as pesticides and some pharmaceutical products), may contain residual substances that produce unpleasant odors including sour and rancid smells.

1.2 Product deterioration or contaminationMagnesium chloride is highly hygroscopic. Improper storage can cause it to absorb moisture from the air, react with other substances in the air, and deteriorate, producing a sour odor. It may also be contaminated by odorous substances during production or transportation.

1.3 Production process or improper additivesInappropriate production techniques or additives, such as strong oxidizing agents for bleaching or calcium hydroxide, may introduce odorous impurities, resulting in a sour odor.

Magnesium chloride (magnesium chloride hexahydrate in the form of flakes, powder, granules, not anhydrous magnesium chloride powder or blocks) is normally a colorless crystal, white at room temperature, and has no obvious sour or rancid odor.The main component of the pungent odor released from chloride is hydrogen chloride (HCl), an acidic gas that is highly soluble in water. The pH value of its solution is generally between 5.0 and 8.5 (refer to the inspection report for specific products).Normally, only a slight odor can be detected. When tasted in small amounts, it has a bitter taste, which is a typical characteristic of magnesium chloride compounds (do not imitate; do not consume in large quantities except food-grade magnesium chloride).

2. Price of Magnesium Chloride

The price of magnesium chloride (per ton) is mainly affected by the following factors:2.1 Purity, grade and formFood-grade magnesium chloride is usually more expensive due to stricter production standards. There are also industrial-grade products with different applications.Forms include white flakes, halogen flakes, powder, granules, etc. Different production processes lead to price differences.

2.2 Origin and transportation costPrices vary by region due to resource distribution and transportation expenses.

2.3 Market supply and demandMarket supply and demand directly affect price fluctuations. Prices are usually higher in the second half of the year due to seasonal demand, especially for snow-melting agents, which often leads to tight supply and large price fluctuations.

2.4 Manufacturer’s technology and technical levelHigh-quality magnesium chloride products (white flakes, halogen flakes, powder, granules) require strict control of low impurities and stable content. Such products have relatively lower output under the same production time, thus higher costs.

The above is the professional explanation from Yuze Chemical, a magnesium chloride manufacturer with 13 years of experience in magnesium chloride hexahydrate and anhydrous magnesium chloride.If you have any other questions about our products, please leave a message or contact us by phone. We will continue to share more information.