pH of tap water and clearing bath

Tap water is very often adjusted to alkaline pH. In Boston area the pH
is about 9.2. This is to prevent copper from leaching out from copper
pipes used in old buildings. Cooks Illustrated magazine (I think) even
went ahead and argued that if you want to make real genuine
Boston-style baked beans you have to buffer the water to pH of about
9. I don't know if it's true because I always use Boston tap water.

Also, acidic water doesn't taste good.

Some agents are better in making soluble iron complex. Gluconic acid
is one of them. It is a more potent iron chelator than
citrate. Although there is no reason to change the practice if citrate
is good enough, sodium gluconate may be a better agent to use to clear
iron-based processes.
Received on 07/24/06-09:48:40 PM Z