K-Met What's it mean???

[Wade E]

The citric acid does make the k-meta work much better and be more effective.

 

[muscadine wine]

I know that there is citric acid in the other sanitizer that I use. It will burn your sinuses out if you get a good whiff of it.

 

[Wade E]

K-meta in the right amount will do that also.

 

[univity]

So Na-Meta works just as well as K-Meta and is cheaper?


Is it ok to use gallon plastic jugs from distilled water to store the mixed solution?


How long is it good on the shelf mixed?


I always keep one filled with EasyClean, but usually pitch it and make freshif it has been sitting around over a month. Don't know if thats right or not - just my guess - havent had any wine get contaminated on me yet

 

[Mike1973]

So Na-Meta works just as well as K-Meta and is cheaper?


Is it ok to use gallon plastic jugs from distilled water to store the mixed solution?


How long is it good on the shelf mixed?


I always keep one filled with EasyClean, but usually pitch it and make freshif it has been sitting around over a month. Don't know if thats right or not - just my guess - havent had any wine get contaminated on me yet

I use one of my All Juice buckets to store it in, I think the solution is good for 2-3months as long as it stays un-contaminated.

 

[Wade E]

Like Mike said it will last around 2-3 months, sometimes even more. Youll know if its good when it hasnt turned brown and packs a wholoop when opened and you put your sniffer up to it but be careful as it will knock you on your a$$! Na-Meta is actually a little more potent as a sanitizer and a little cheaper. I would not store it in a plastic water jugs or milk jugs as they eventually will spring a leak. I had it happen twice, the first time I thought it was just the container but after the 2nd 1 Im convinced that the sanitizer is slowly eating it away so now I use a glass jug with cap.

 

[univity]

OK - I was curious about the milk jug thing - so I decided to actually use that college degree a little and think back to the biochemistry days of yore....


Sodium Metabisulfite = Na2S2O5
Water = H2O


Na2S2O5 + H2O= SO2 + Na2SO4 + H2O


Which the balanced equation would be...


0Na2S2O5 + H2O = 0SO2 + 0Na2SO4 + H2O


anyway... this is an equilibrium but when there is SO2 and H2O another equilibrium reaction will occur in conjunction...


SO<SUB>2</SUB> + H<SUB>2</SUB>O ⇌ HSO<SUB>3</SUB><SUP>−</SUP> + H<SUP>+</SUP>


HSO<SUB>3</SUB><SUP>− </SUP>is sulfurous acid


Since it is a constant back and forth it will probably take a long time, but will eventually break down the petroleum in the plastic - especially since milk jugs are so weak. Plastic spray bottles will probably hold up fine, but the little tube or some parts in the sprayer may get eaten away over time.


Glass is probably a better storage solution


YAY to the internet for helping me find this information - ironically it was the birth of the internet that diverted me from biochemistry and into what I do for a living today. yay internet





Edited by: univity

 

[Travisty]

Univity, I believe HSO3- is a bisulfite ion which isa conjugate base of sulfurous acid. From my quick reading, sulfurous acid has not actually ever been detected in solution. The bisulfite ion will definitely be present, however I don’t think it is very corrosive to plastics. It appears to be very weakly acidic. The extra proton there will make the solution more acidic, though I’m not sure what kind of concentrations it would exist in. Anyone evermeasured thepH of sanitizing strength NaMeta solution?

 

[univity]

yeah - but a H+ will chill nearby which is what makes the acid (H2SO3) - its an equilibrium
since it's an equilibrium its going to take a VERY long time but since milk jug plastic is so weak to begin with it just may eat away at it - it's just a guess - been a loong time since I have thought about any of this type of stuff - and killed a lot of brain cells along the way :O

 

[Travisty]

been a loong time since I have thought about any of this type of stuff - and killed a lot of brain cells along the way :O

Haha, I hear ya!


Since sulfurous acid has not actually been found in solution (according to Wikipedia anyway

), I'm thinking that the equilibrium does not favor it enough to allow it to be present enough to eat away at anything.


And like the great Michael Scott once said:


"Wikipedia is the best thing ever. Anyone in the world, can write anything they want about any subject. So you know you are getting the best possible information."

Experientially, I've had a 1/2 gallon milk container half full of sanitizing strength K-Meta in my fridge for months now and it seems to be holding up just fine so far. Either I have not waited long enough or wade just got some bad containers!