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What is a Carbonate?

Carbonate is an inorganic ionic compound with a negative charge. Its formula is CO3. Carbonate binds with other metal cations to form inorganic compounds. Carbonate also has organic end products that are needed by living organisms. Carbonate ions are found in soil, rocks and other environments in nature. They are also found in our bodies as acidic buffers to ensure the blood's neutral pH. There are hundreds of economically important carbonate products, which makes carbonate an integral part of life.

  1. Soda Ash

    • Soda ash is a carbonate product that is used to manufacture many of the objects we use every day. Soda ash is used for glass, paper, soaps and detergents. Soda ash is also used to soften water and buffer some of the minerals that are introduced in water. Carbonate bonds with metal ions, such as calcium and magnesium, helping manufacturers filter these impurities. Soda ash is also used to control the pH in water by neutralizing acids and producing only carbon dioxide and water.

    Limestone

    • Limestone is used in a lot of the industrial level applications to provide elements, such as steel and cement. Limestone is also used in agriculture to produce lime, and it's a precursor for soda ash.

    Calcium Carbonate

    • Calcium carbonate is a compound used for organic processes. The main purpose of calcium carbonate is to treat calcium deficiencies, but it is also used as an antacid to treat heartburn and stomach upset. For instance, the popular name brands, Tums and Rolaids, use calcium carbonate as the main component for stomach acid relief.

    Bicarbonate

    • One of the most important uses for carbonate is in the human body. Bicarbonate is used in the blood to keep its neutral pH balance. Bicarbonate is a buffer, so when acidic levels rise, it attaches to hydrogen ions and filters them out of the body. Bicarbonate levels are maintained by the kidneys, which remove the acidic components and excrete them through urine. The bicarbonate ions are then sent back to the blood for reuse. Doctors can estimate kidney function by testing bicarbonate and pH levels in the blood. Abnormal results can point towards chronic or acute kidney failure.

    Other Carbonate Uses

    • Other, inorganic carbonate ions are also useful. Potash (potassium carbonate) is used to manufacture glass. Lithium carbonate is used in the pharmaceutical industry, and strontium carbonate is used to create CRT tubes for televisions and creates the red color in traditional fireworks.

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